Bio

Gerald M. Smith was born on October 7, 1958. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, in a troubled household. His father was an alcoholic who often abused his wife and children. This created a chaotic environment for Smith and his siblings. As a child, Gerald suffered serious head injuries and was also treated for lead poisoning. These childhood issues likely affected his mental health as he grew older.

By the age of 10, Smith had started stealing. He continued with petty theft and was eventually placed in a juvenile-detention center at the age of 15. After his release, he struggled to find stable employment and turned to stealing to support himself. He began using drugs and alcohol around age 13.

In his personal relationships, Smith showed patterns of abusive behavior. He had a girlfriend who gave birth to their daughter in July 1979. However, their relationship was marked by violence. Smith’s history of impulsiveness and aggression led to issues in his interpersonal connections.

Murder Story

Gerald M. Smith was involved in two murders, which were committed in Missouri. The first murder took place in 1980 when he killed Karen Roberts. Smith and his girlfriend drove to Roberts' home under the pretense of visiting a family member. After his girlfriend left, Smith argued with Roberts about a sexually transmitted disease he believed she gave him. During the argument, Smith pushed Roberts, who then attempted to defend herself with a metal bar. Smith took the bar from her and chased her down. He eventually bludgeoned her to death.

In 1985, while on death row for Roberts’ murder, Smith killed a fellow inmate. He used a homemade knife to stab the inmate. Smith was later convicted of both murders and sentenced to death. His legal battles continued for several years, with numerous approaches for appeals and reconsiderations of his mental competency.

Smith remained on death row until his execution by lethal injection on January 18, 1990. He was pronounced dead at 12:09 A.M. during this process, he expressed no final words or statements before his death.