Bio

Joe Clarence Smith Jr. was born on June 15, 1949. He grew up in a modest family in Arizona.

As a young child, Smith struggled with asthma, which made his childhood more difficult. He had problems fitting in socially and often had mood swings. In school, he was generally popular and managed to complete his education, eventually graduating from high school. After high school, he worked at his father’s machine shop.

In his early adulthood, Smith's behavior began to take a dark turn. He had previous convictions for serious offenses, including rape, before escalating to more extreme criminal activities. By the time he turned 25, he was already facing significant legal issues related to violent crimes.

Murder Story

On December 30, 1975, Joe Clarence Smith Jr. picked up 18-year-old Sandy Spencer while she was hitchhiking home after work. He drove her to a remote desert area north and west of Phoenix. There, he bound her and forced dirt into her mouth and nostrils. To ensure she was dead, Smith stabbed her multiple times and left a sewing needle embedded in her breast. Sandy's body was found on January 1, 1976.

In late January 1976, Smith picked up another hitchhiker, 14-year-old Neva Lee. He took her to a different desert location and killed her using the same methods as with Sandy. Neva's body was discovered on February 2, 1976.

Smith was arrested after police placed him under surveillance due to their suspicions. During his trial for Neva Lee's murder, he was found guilty. While facing charges for Sandy Spencer's murder, he pled guilty to that crime as well. He was sentenced to death for both murders on August 31, 1977.

Smith's case went through several court proceedings. He was resentenced in 1979 and then again in 2004. Throughout these legal processes, various arguments about his mental state and the nature of the crimes were made, leading to appeals and resentencing efforts over the years.