Bio

Samuel L. Smithers was born on January 30, 1953. He grew up in Connecticut. Later, he moved to Florida, where he became involved in his community.

Smithers was a deeply religious man and held a position as a deacon at the First Baptist Church in Plant City, Florida. He also worked as an electrician’s helper. He seemed to have a stable life, and people in his community viewed him as a respectable figure.

Samuel Smithers lived in the Walden Lake subdivision, a quiet neighborhood. He had a family, including a wife and a college-age son. Friends and family described him as someone who led a normal, quiet life, but there were whispers of a darker side that they may not have been aware of.

In 1995, Samuel made an agreement with a church member named Marion Whitehurst. He was tasked with maintaining the lawn at her vacant house located on 27 acres of property. This arrangement seemed simple enough and connected to his work as a caretaker.

Murder Story

On May 12, 1996, Samuel L. Smithers was involved in the murder of Denise Roach. He met Roach at a vacant property he maintained and asked her to leave when she refused. After a physical confrontation, Smithers hit her, causing her to lose consciousness. He left the property, but later returned to move her body to a nearby pond. Denise Roach's body was found several days later.

Just a couple of weeks later, on May 28, 1996, Smithers murdered Cristy Cowan. He picked her up while she was in a broken-down car and took her to the same property. After giving her money, she threw a drink at him, which led to another violent attack. Smithers struck her with an axe, causing her to lose consciousness. He then dragged her body to the pond where he had dumped Roach's body.

After the recovery of the bodies, Smithers was arrested. He initially made several incriminating statements to the police. He confessed to the murders, explaining his actions during the attacks. Smithers described how he had fought with both women over money. He claimed that he had acted out of anger when his demands were rejected.

During the investigation, evidence was found at the property that linked Smithers to the murders. A pool of blood and drag marks leading to the pond were noted by a sheriff's deputy who visited the property. A polygraph test indicated that Smithers was not being truthful during questioning, which led to further scrutiny of his statements.

In the trial that followed, Smithers presented a different narrative, claiming that he witnessed the murders being committed by an unknown man. However, he was ultimately found guilty of both murders. On June 25, 1999, Samuel L. Smithers was sentenced to death for the murder of Denise Roach and Cristy Cowan.