Ronald Allen Smith was born on September 7, 1957, in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada.

Ronald Allen Smith was involved in a murder that took place in Montana in August 1982. On that day, Smith and an accomplice were hitchhiking when they were offered a ride by two Native American men. The men, Harvey Mad Man and Thomas Running Rabbit, kindly stopped to help them.

After getting into the vehicle, Smith and his accomplice led the two men into a wooded area near the highway. In this secluded spot, Smith shot both men in the head using a sawn-off .22-caliber rifle. This brutal act resulted in the deaths of Harvey, who was 23, and Thomas, who was 20.

Smith was caught and charged for his actions. Initially, he was offered a plea deal that would have kept him off death row. However, he declined the offer. Instead, he pleaded guilty three weeks later and intentionally asked for the death penalty.

In March 1983, he was sentenced to death for the murders. Over the years, Smith faced several scheduled execution dates, but each of these dates was delayed for various reasons. His case continued to draw attention over the following decades, including from the Canadian government, which sought clemency on his behalf at different points.

As of 2023, Ronald Allen Smith remained on death row in Montana.