Bio

Harold Glenn Smith was born on November 26, 1967. He grew up in Houston, Texas. Not much is known about his early childhood or family life. However, as he entered his teenage years, he became involved with a group of local teenagers who practiced Satanism.

By the mid-1980s, Smith's activities began to attract the attention of law enforcement. He was already known to have committed violent acts before he was arrested. Smith’s life would take a dramatic turn that would lead to significant legal consequences when he was charged with the murder of a teenager in 1985.

Murder Story

On August 14, 1985, the body of 19-year-old Dennis Medler was discovered in Rest Haven Cemetery in Houston, Texas. Medler had suffered severe mutilation before his death. He was beaten, slashed with knives, and had one of his eyes gouged out. His hair was burned down to the scalp, and his teeth were hammered out. The cause of death was believed to be strangulation and loss of blood.

Investigation into the murder revealed that Medler had been associated with a group of local teenage Satanists. The brutality and circumstances of his death suggested it might have been a ritual killing. Detectives started to interrogate members of the cult to gather more information. During this process, police learned about the murder of another teenager, 16-year-old Wayne Schubert. A girl connected to the cult informed the police that Smith had shown her Schubert's body after he was shot.

Authorities also spoke to a survivor of a violent attack, who had been slashed while giving a ride to Smith and other hitchhikers. This witness identified Smith as a Satanist and noted Smith's involvement in the murder of Ronald Monahan, which had initially been thought to be a burglary gone wrong. Further investigation revealed a link to a young woman known only as "Jane Doe," whose body was found near Houston, leading police to believe she may have also been linked to the cult.

In January 1986, Harold Glenn Smith, along with two other boys and a girl, was arrested for the murder of Dennis Medler. During the trial, jurors took only 45 minutes to convict Smith of first-degree murder. On August 13, 1986, he was sentenced to life in prison, alongside a monetary fine.