While the two friends were fighting for their lives at the Roanoke hospital, 30 miles down the road, a retired sheriff's deputy, Tom Lawson, heard about the shooting. Virginia Smith agreed. Two hikers met a stranger on the Appalachian Trail and discovered too late he was armed and dangerous. "Lyin' Randall.". He was known in the media as "The Lonely Hearts Killer" and "The Glamour Girl Slayer." Scott Johnston: The-- the doctor told that the bullet that went in my neck missed my carotid artery by one millimeter. On Tuesday, Smith allegedly struck again, shooting and wounding two fishermen at a spot eerily close to the site of the 1981 murders. And then I run up, and I get down behind this clump of trees, to protect myself. Brenner was injured but managed to escape. As Mountford turns over and starts to get up, he shoots him in the cheek. Mike Reed found a killer campsite in the Giles County national forest. Roberts said men at a small country store had insisted they'd have found and "taken care of" Smith if he hadn't been arrested. Randall Lee Smith, 54, will be charged with two counts of attempted capital murder, grand larceny and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, Lt. Ron Hamlin of the Giles County Sheriff's . Find out more in ourPrivacy Policy. Something evil happened at this lonely campground years ago, a crime so gruesome that its memory seemed to linger in the damp, forest air. And they were fishing together. To keep creating By the grace of God, they're not dead. Farmer arrived at the campground at 4 p.m. and was setting up his tent an hour later when the bony dog ambled into camp, followed by Smith. Hotel rooms near Something in the Water are still available but they wont be cheap. She died in 2000. "Randall Lee Smith (June 29,1953 May 10, 2008) was a convicted murderer from Pearisburg, Virginia. A large section of the Appalachian Trail was shut down for weeks, but there were no arrests. Chris Hansen: You've both been shot twice. I was more just pissed off more than anything. She then fell to the ground and played dead, and Jordan "left to find his dog," the complaint states. Well, you know, that's the one question I have, is why? Tom Lawson took us back the scene of that 1981 crime. Three years earlier, a terrifying repeat of an earlier hiking homicide was attempted by Randall Lee Smith, who had served 15 years in prison for the attempted murder of two hikers in 1981. As we uncovered it, that's when we saw the torso. Randall Lee Smith was arrested and charged with the 1981 Appalachian Trail murders. Randall Lee Smith Now: Is The Killer Dead or Alive. When some killers kill, we sit back and wonder how this happened. By the powers of mother and earth hear meshow me thy gloryI invoke thee oh, ancient one.". And be thankful for all the things you have, because it could be taken from you in a split-second. And meet Sean down at the road, and I saw his headlights coming and he stops and I jump in. And Tom Lawson points out that gun was a .22 caliber revolver - the same type of gun Smith used 27 years ago. Scott had lost a lot of blood, and realized he was fading fast. Order Flowers for the Family. [7], On May 6, 2008, Smith attempted to kill Scott Johnston, 38, and Sean Farmer, 33, on a fishing trip near Dismal Creek, less than two miles from the site of the 1981 murders. Louise Chaput, a 51 year-old Canadian,was stabbed to death in the White Mountains, New Hampshire. Susan Ramsay was dead. Totally sideways in the road. A native of McDowell County, he was born. "I was sitting down in a chair and he was standing up between us.". Then, seemingly out of the blue, the police got a break. Besides, the duo even shared their gratitude for Melissa Miller and claimed they would not be alive if not for the help and shelter she provided on that fateful day. Melissa Miller: This is the real thing. Tom Lawson: Was I the reason why two other people now are assaulted by this person that I should have put away 27 years ago. You can read the details of the case here. It's amazing what human beings can do to other human beings. The Appalachian Trail Killer - Randall Lee Smith (laughter). I mean, I had powder burns all like in-- in a circular fashion around the wound. Its better to scratch someones eyes in order to protect your life than it is to be a merciful victim. Susan Ramsay, 27, and Robert Mountford, 27. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Tom Lawson: I'm flashing back to 1981. Only later would they discover that this was not the first time two innocent hikers were viciously attacked on this part of the Appalachian Trail. He compared Smith's prints to that print left in the book. There in his cell the next day, officers found him unresponsive. You know, they-- they just let him roam free. On Friday afternoon, Randall Smith was released into police custody after treatment at Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital, where Lt. Ron Hamlin of the Giles County Sheriff's Department said Smith had spent some time on a ventilator. He was born June 30, 1967, in Mecklenburg County, son of Kay Harding Thompson and the late Jackie W. Thompson Sr. Scotte was a caring, loving father, son, and friend. Sean Farmer: This is it, right here. In Remembrance. And-- and luck. . Johnston, a 38-year-old layer of ceramic tiles, said his brush with Smith began at 1 p.m. Johnston had been fishing for trout all morning in Dismal Creek, just below the Appalachian Trail, and had driven his Ford Ranger pickup truck the nearly 4 miles to Trent's Grocery to pick up some supplies. No matter what. On May 6, 2008, Smith attempted to kill two fishermen less than two miles from the site of the 1981 murders. Farmer, meanwhile, had staggered back and watched as Smith fired at Johnston running to the trees. Chris Hansen: And what was it like when you took that first breath on your own? Chris Hansen: And you know you had to get that wound plugged? Randall was born in Duluth, Minnesota on October 16, 1946 to Basil E. and Bernice M. (Gidbout) Smith. Scott Johnston: And - and we make it down to the botTom of the mountain. Farmer said he then crouched down in his seat, waiting for the inevitable shot to the back of the head. EPIC MOROCCO BY CULTURE TRIP article page epic morocco And live life. Randall is related to Bryant James Smith and Marla Jane Smith as well as 1 additional person. Is Randall Lee Smith Dead or Alive? He spent 15 years in prison before his release in 1996. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. and I see his arm stuck out towards Sean. But on a day as glorious as this one, that crime was the furthest thing from the friends' minds. Tom Lawson: Go on record, give it to the media. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. As a rule of thumb, youre more likely to encounter troublesome people within a mile or two of crossroads, rather than in the deep, dark forest. Scott Johnston: Well, it's-- it's cost me a small fortune. I see the-- the shelter as I did then. Randy was born February 3, 1948 in Salt Lake City to Joseph McKinnon Smith and Leone Grames Smith. Robert Mountford Jr. and Laura Susan Ramsay, 27 year old social workers from Maine, were both also victims of theAppalachian trail murdersby Randall Lee Smith. In early spring of 2008, concerned neighbors reported Randall Lee Smith suspiciously missing from his Ingram Street residence in Pearisburg. Chris Hansen: What do you think saved you guys that night? OBITUARY: Randall Scotte Thompson - The Richmond Observer Sherman Smith: He's-- it's s-- almost like he's a guardian of the trail, or somethin', I don't know. The only leads were items the police found near the murder sceneincluding items belonging to victim Susan Ramsay. It's easy to get on the trail here. He would use several pseudonyms, posing as a professional photographer to lure his victims with the promise of a modeling career. And I was sitting there thinking, well, you know, he can't see. Johnston said the bedraggled stranger had the look of an alcoholic already near bottom. And they did just that before the night spun out of control. He basically had no friends to amount to anything. While at the creek, Sean and Scott came across a complete stranger, and although they invited him to dinner, the man suddenly brandished a gun and opened fire on the two unsuspecting campers. Chris Hansen: Dark out. And for him, it was spine tingling, dj vu moment: He realized the attack on Scott and Sean was eerily similar to a bloody, double murder he had investigated years earlier. You can barely see. Cops: Man Who Killed Hikers Strikes Again - CBS News Randall Lee Smith was suspected of shooting two fishermen near Dismal Creek.