Bio

Reginald Smith was born in 1969. As a teenager, he began to get into trouble with the law. He was arrested for various offenses. By the time he was in his early twenties, he had already developed a significant criminal record. This included charges of armed robbery and weapon possession.

Smith spent time in prison for his crimes. He served a 42-month sentence for gun possession and was released in 1994. His release came just a few months before a string of violent crimes took place in Miami.

After his release, Smith engaged in more criminal activities. He was known for his connections to drugs, specifically crack cocaine. This drug addiction played a part in his actions and decisions in the years that followed.

Murder Story

Reginald Smith was involved in a series of violent crimes from late November to December 1994 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. His first known victim was Helen Stiles, an 81-year-old woman. She was found on November 29, 1994, in her kitchen, where she suffered severe injuries from being stabbed and beaten. The crime scene indicated that her home had been ransacked, but there were no signs of forced entry.

The second victim was Dorothy Cooper, 79 years old, who was discovered beaten to death in her bedroom on December 9, 1994. Cooper had lived alone for many years and did not respond when a transport service failed to pick her up, which led to the discovery of her body.

On Christmas Day, the third victim, Mae Pergolese, also 79 years old, was found in her home with fatal injuries from a beating. Her best friend discovered her body not far from where Cooper lived, indicating a pattern in the locations of the attacks.

Alongside these murders, Smith attacked Virginia Hoffmann, a 73-year-old nature guide, who survived despite being brutally beaten. She reported that an accomplice knocked on her door, asking to use the phone, luring her into a vulnerable position.

Smith was arrested in January 1995, just weeks after the series of attacks began. He faced charges for robbery and was connected to the murders of the three elderly women. He eventually pleaded guilty to the murder of Dorothy Cooper and the attempted murder of Hoffmann. As part of a plea deal, Smith agreed to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole.

At the time of his arrest, detectives believed Smith may have been under the influence of crack cocaine, and he had a long history of violent crimes, including armed robbery and armed burglary. His suspected accomplice, Barbara Laidler, was also implicated in the murder of Stiles and is currently serving a life sentence.