Bio

Robert Allan Smith was born on March 3, 1950. At a young age, Smith started getting into trouble. His experiences in school were not positive, which led to him dropping out by the seventh grade. As he grew older, his behavior became more problematic. He began abusing drugs and engaging in criminal activities.

In 1984, Robert Smith was convicted of robbery and sentenced to prison. While serving time, he continued to encounter issues with authority. He attacked a corrections officer and stabbed fellow inmates, which resulted in a longer prison sentence. These actions added years to his time behind bars and led to him potentially spending the rest of his life in prison.

While in prison, Smith's mental health deteriorated. He spent significant time in solitary confinement, which he later cited as a contributing factor to his depression. His long-term sentence and placement in solitary confinement led him to lose hope for a future outside prison walls.

Eventually, in the year 1995, Smith was involved in a violent incident at the Wabash Valley Correctional Institution in Indiana, which would change the course of his life forever. He shared a cell with Ronald Lunsford, and together they committed a serious crime against another inmate.

Murder Story

On June 30, 1995, Robert Allan Smith and Ronald Lunsford attacked fellow inmate Michael Wedmore at the Wabash Valley Correctional Institution in Sullivan County, Indiana. They stabbed Wedmore 37 times using makeshift knives. The assault was witnessed by correctional officers who quickly intervened. After the attack, both Smith and Lunsford surrendered and handed over the murder weapons.

Later that day, Smith was arrested for the murder. He chose to represent himself in court and pled guilty to murder, agreeing to a death sentence. He stated during his guilty plea that any future victim would not just be a "baby killer" like Wedmore, who was in prison for killing a two-year-old girl.

The court found that Smith committed the murder while in custody at the Department of Corrections. His action was noted as a calculated escape from a long prison sentence, as he was already serving a 38-year sentence for battery at the time.

During the sentencing process, Smith consistently waived his right to appeal and openly expressed his desire to be executed. He was sentenced to death on July 12, 1996. His execution by lethal injection was carried out on January 29, 1998, making him the seventh inmate executed in Indiana since the death penalty was reinstated in 1977.