Although Lockhart managed to spend all of the $300,000 over the course of a "wild three-month spree" with his friend, they were arrested after returning home when their money ran out. Susan Smith. Two years prior, Putnams wife Kathy died of organ failure likely from heavy drinking at age 38. Huh???? Ms. Smith kept telling me the baby was mine and that she was going to hang me over this. I read all the comments and found it entertaining, but if you watched the movie or read the book you would know why he got 18 years. Kathy's mother Carol claimed that what happened to Susan was simply "a crime of passion." I remember when the story broke, being in the next town over, at the age of 12. And before long, police were using their own informants to piece together the story, especially after the revelation that one of them was staying in the same motel as Putnam the very night that Smith disappeared. Karla Ward: 859-231-3314, @HLpublicsafety. Seriously he suggested taking away her child to be raised by his wealthy privileged wife that already had children by him. She was a poor drug-addicted mother of two, and he was an educated, decorated FBI agent. And once that $5,000 was used, there wasn't really any upper limit. He moved there in 1987 with his wife Kathy and their two young children. And it should. In other words. But after getting a divorce, Susan and Kenneth continued living together. . I think the reason he doesnt call me, I think hes embarrassed, said Tim, 30. A few months earlier, a robber had stolen $18,000 in cash from a bank in nearby Meta, Kentucky, and it was up to the local agents to identify and catch the thief. But Mark, far from being deterred, instead put all of his energy into his new position, convinced that the best way to get a promotion was to "compile an impressive arrest record.". I couldnt find any information related to this. All that was left of Susan was skeletal remains. At the time, Susan was addicted to recreational pills, and with two children under 7 years old to take care of, she definitely needed the extra cash that Putnam was offering, Carol Anne Davis writes in "Masking Evil.". Truly Shameful. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. His marriage strained, Putnam took Susan on a drive through the mountains a week before Christmas, and they had sex in his car. He confessed because of a guilty conscience which caused him health problems. It appears there was ample evidence to proffer First Degree Murder Premeditation and Deliberation which might have been deliberately or inadvertently destroyed. In truth, its about class and poor men of any race get the worst defense lawyer and therefore the worst sentences and treatment. But according to "Fatal Deceptions" by Joe Sharkey, Smith claimed that their affair lasted two years and wasn't limited to simply getting busy in the back seat. Updated. The case received nationwide attention. It took Putnam a year to admit that he was responsible for Smith's murder, and even then, it occurred after he failed a polygraph test. Susan was the 5th of 9 children. Listen to "67: The Killing of FBI Informant Susan Daniels Smith" on Spreaker. Get the day's top news with our Today's Headlines newsletter, sent every weekday morning. This case leaves a lot to be desired! Witnesses offer conflicting accounts, Mars Voltas lead singer broke with Scientology and reunited with the band. In addition to the old 1994 movie about the case, there is also another movie that is in the works. [2] He studied at the University of Tampa, where he majored in criminology. Hes doing OK, considering.. This story has been shared 402,023 times. It is unlikely it will die down soon. Some of the money will be put into a trust fund for Smiths children--Meranda Lynn, 8, and Brady, 5--she said. memorial page for Susan Daniels Smith (1961-8 Jun 1989), Find a Grave Memorial ID 224916506; Burial Details Unknown; . People may remember it especially since a movie was made about it in the 1990s titled Betrayed By Love. She will get pregnant, and she will ruin you.. Sign up for the newsletter today. Hum I wonder why? We dont want to make a secret about it, but we prefer not to bring it out, he said. Im not saying Larry Miller should be prosecuted and Im not defending Mark Putnams disgusting actions, all Im saying that your comment about gee this wouldnt happen with anyone but a white guy is ridiculous. This coward took away a young mother from young kids over a lie + his temper. Is Susan had not threatened him or lied about the baby perhaps the story would have turned out differently. Putnam, however, was aware his behavior could damage his career and his family, and in early 1989, he signed a petition to be transferred from Kentucky to Florida, in order to focus on other cases. Susan Daniels Smith was born in 1961 in Matewan, West Virginia, to Sidney "Sid" Daniels, an unemployed and former coal miner, and Tracy Daniels,[1] a housekeeper. A black person would have been given life to death sentence in the 1980s /90s. Three days later, Smith was reported missing by her sister, Shelby Ward. He said he placed the body in the trunk of his rented car and dumped it the following evening off an old coal mine road about nine miles north of Pikeville. You be the detective tomorrow night with @DiscoveryID: https://t.co/kkXk5o83wB @LtJoeKenda #Betrayed #HomicideHunter pic.twitter.com/HVzOjWMb1P, Warner Bros. Susan Daniels Smith grew up poor in an area on the border of Kentucky and West Virginia, the fifth of nine children. Susans collaboration with Putnam was successful. In his confession, Mark said that he pulled off on the side of the road to continue the discussion. It was a crime of passion.. The New York Post reports that Putnam instead stated that after getting a paternity test, he and his wife would adopt the child. Once an informant was approved, FBI agents were allotted $5,000 "to be distributed at the agent's discretion." But only Susan Smith and Mark Putnam know what happened on June 8, 1989, and unfortunately, Smith isn't around to corroborate Putnam's side of the story. Books and television programs were created using the story and that shock continues to cause ripples in different forms of media today. One year into his 16-year sentence, the only FBI agent ever charged with a homicide is coming to grips with life in prison. The story is a tragic tale of how one mans ambition and another womans wild infatuation collided with deadly consequences. Susan Daniels Smith, aka Sue Smith, the Pikeville, Kentucky, informant who was killed by her married lover, FBI Agent Mark Putnam, will have her story discussed again for the first time in many years on Betrayed, the new Investigation Discovery crime series. As a result, his confession is assumed to be an honest retelling of events. This was truly a sad story, FBI agent Mark Putnam was taught better. Smith also built up a relationship with Kathy Putnam, and the two of them often spoke on the phone for hours on end. How many times have you actively helped an underprivileged community? In 1987, an ambitious rookie FBI agent came to Pikeville, Kentucky for his first posting out of the academy. PIKEVILLE, Ky. (AP) _ A former FBI agent who solved a year-old homicide by confessing to the crime pleaded guilty Tuesday to strangling a pregnant informant with whom hed been having an affair. So many people who throw racism accusations out should look at themselves first. According to The New York Post, the cause was likelyfrom her alleged alcoholism. Since on average most black men arent rich, they do fare the worst in the injustice system. And by his own admission, Putnam is the only person responsible for that. He was trained to deal with high stresses being an FBI agent and should be held to an even higher standard than anyone else because of this fact. [1][5] Smith received $5,000 (equivalent to over $11,000 as of 2020) for her contribution to the case.[6]. I think it was her fingernail, but Im not sure. If anything he got off easy because she was poor & on drugs? He took a life. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an. Ward said she would be paid $50,000 for helping with the movie. Growing up, Putnam was described as an overachiever, and when it came to sports, he was "highly competitive" and would stop at nothing to win the game. But when he wasn't playing sports, Putnam became more introverted and was "extremely shy and private.". And Susan Daniels Smith didnt hold out on the details with her sister. However, the history is too long of black men being wrongfully treated by the justice system. Everyone complaining about his sentence. Every time something like this occurs, the color card is played. He didnt just kill one. Putnam claims the pair made love five times over a two-week period, just in that vehicle, and then he called the relationship quits. I didnt believe it was possible until I watched it happen regularly with my own eyes. When he reached Kentucky, Smith contacted him about her pregnancy and told him the baby was his. When her body was finally found, Mark Putnam confessed to killing her, reported the LA Times. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). What does that count for anything? He just chose the wrong man and got what he deserved. Then, on the other, I think she saw him and her as Bonnie and Clyde.. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. According to Joe Sharkey, during his time in prison, Mark was described as a "model inmate.". What would you do if someones trying to snatch your weapon away from you? This threw Smith into a violent rage. A $300-million (minimum) gondola to Dodger Stadium? [3] That same year, he was sentenced to 16 years in prison. Shelby Ward was so incensed that she tried to conceal and carry a .38-caliber handgun into the courtroom, though it's unclear if she in fact planned on murdering Putnam since she said sheforgot that she had the gun. Years of struggles with alcohol had compromised her health. Written, hosted, produced by Erica KelleyResearched by Erica KelleyEdited by Chaes GrayOriginal GraphicArt by Coley HornerOriginal Music by Rob Harrison-Gamma Radio, Major Source: Above Suspicion by Joe Sharkey, https://www.amazon.com/Above-Suspicion-Joe-Sharkey-ebook/dp/B01N49MWZH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3TSQXJQASEJND&keywords=above+suspicion+book&qid=1567612166&s=gateway&sprefix=Above+Suspicion%2Caps%2C252&sr=8-1, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pikeville,_Kentucky, https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-xpm-2000-09-29-0009292462-story.html, https://www.reddit.com/r/TrueCrime/comments/c1tys4/1989_murder_of_susan_daniels_smith_by_fbi_agent/, https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-07-07-mn-2951-story.html, https://tvcrimesky.com/2019/04/19/susan-daniels-smith-mark-putnam-fbi-killer-above-suspicion-pikeville-update-today/1514, https://joesharkey.com/2016/07/21/__trashed-2/, https://www.apnews.com/782fcc8b1c55b5c5a9b9eff10b35096f, https://www.journalinquirer.com/archives/former-fbi-agent-from-coventry-due-for-release-from-prison/article_22d7dc50-bb6c-5b1a-ac9c-b22905d2b879.html, https://bestofswla.com/2014/12/05/meet-smiths/, The Killing of FBI Informant Susan Daniels Smith. But before long, Mark Putnam started to look more and more like a potential suspect, according to Monsters & Critics. He killed two and stole a mother from four kids in all. Whats your point ? He flew into West Virginia when he had business in Lexington, Jones said. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. He pleads to a lesser crime. I wonder if hed be a remarried personal trainer if he were anything other than white? [4] The next day, he dumped Smith's body along an old coal mining road. Might not have even been a manslaughter. Susan Daniels Smith, aka Sue Smith, the Pikeville, Kentucky, informant who was killed by her married lover, FBI Agent Mark Putnam, will have her story discussed again for the first time in many years on Betrayed, the new Investigation Discovery crime series. Film crews were in Harlan County in 2016, recording a movie called Above Suspicion. Its interesting how the movie Above Suspicion left out the part where it turned out Susan wasnt really pregnant afterall. He plead guilty to felony manslaughter typically a 10-20 year term in KY sentenced to 16 and released in 10 on good behavior. And some sources claim that Smith got the full $5,000 from Putnam for her information and cooperation during the trial. Now Putnam had a dead body on his hands. At twenty-seven years old, Susan Daniels Smith was a dirt poor, divorced mother of two living in rural Kentucky. Although the marriage produced two children, its hardly surprising that there were problems. [7], Mark Steven Putnam (born July 4, 1959) is a criminologist and former FBI agent (1987-1990). Being an informant was a fairly common phenomenon in the area during this time although the pay was low and the risk was high. Two years ago, Putnam's wife, Kathy, who. But according to "Above Suspicion," Kenneth came into the meeting with a list of demands for Putnam, asking for a weekly salary in addition to being given protective custody and having his probation removed. He is adjusting. In "The FBI Encyclopedia," Michael Newton writes that Putnam graduated from the University of Tampa as a B-average student majoring in criminology. And this wasn't murder in the line of dutythis was a crime of passion. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. In the 28 years that I have been a prosecutor, this is the first experience that I have had where a lawyer called me on a telephone and said I have a man who wants to confess to murder, or homicide, and wants to go to the penitentiary, and we had absolutely no evidence, Runyon added. By the way, if you can get your hands on the movie Betrayed By Love, youre in for a tearjerker. A full body orgasm at the L.A. Phil? In his later confession, Putnam claimed they only had quickies in his car. We all know OJ did it! Have you paid for someone elses groceries when its obvious they are struggling? Ridiculous. I wonder if he would indeed have been doing this is he was black or would have resorted to reoffending. It would have remained there if not for Putnam, wracked with guilt, confessing to the crime and leading investigators to the corpse a year later. What would you do if someone were banging your head in the concrete and you had a weapon? The prosecutor, assistant prosecutor, FBI management and every law enforcement officer in the case knew that was true. He subsequently confessed, pleaded guilty to strangling Smith,[4] and told authorities where to find her body. We are all family, good and bad we are the same! Initially, Mark Putnam didn't stand out at the FBI. When a good-looking, big city FBI agent named Mark Putnam entered her life, Susan thought her prayers had been answered. According to The NewYork Post, Putnam was so wracked with guilt that he felt compelled to confess. There are hundreds of stories like these. The reason others get much stiffer sentences will happen for a variety of reasons: the authorities have evidence, witnesses or a stronger case.sometimes the police have good interrogators who can solicit a confession or the suspects are plain ignorant or dumb? A year later, apparently racked by guilt, he offered to lead authorities to her body. I felt sorry everyones children. As far as the FBI is concerned, this is a difficult day but I would hope that our entire record is whats going to govern the way that people think about the FBI, OConnor said. Ive read two other true crime stories where the female murder victims were killed by boyfriends they told they were pregnant. Runyon, the Pike County commonwealth's attorney at the time, added that in his almost 30 years as a prosecutor, this was the first time that they encountered someone who wanted to confess to a homicide while the prosecution had absolutely no evidence. Its called rehabilitation. Her body was found last. And there are plenty of people of all colors who get out of jail early for good behavior. Putnam appeared tense during his 20-minute appearance in Pike County Circuit Court. I used my instincts and shot first. Yes, he killed her, but he was also a model inmate and had not once received any disciplinary incidents. Susan Daniels Smith lived a life of poverty, violence and misery. Harris said she remembers the events unfolding and her husband, a former Kentucky State Police Post 9 dispatcher, shared some of his experiences with her. Good read, Irving! Putnam, 30, of Sunrise, Fla., entered a guilty plea to one count of felony manslaughter in Ms. Smiths death. Stop with trying to appear like youre helping a race or ANY underprivileged community and actually DO Something about it! Investigation Discoverys Betrayed is produced by Trigger Street Productions, All3Media America, and Giant Pirates Entertainment, according to Broadway World. Putnam would later claim that they only had sex five times over a two-week period and only in his car. Then he went home to his family in Florida. Huggins was hired as a technical advisor for Above Suspicion, the feature film based on the non-fiction book of the same name that depicts the tragic saga of Mark Putnam . Immediately after the hearing, Putnam was handcuffed and taken into custody by Kentucky State Police officers. . Susan Smith (ne Daniels 1961[3] June 8, 1989) was an American FBI informant. There are various accounts as to whether he approached her first or she approached him first. Nevertheless, the two married sometime in the late 1970s. He laughed about it on TV in an interview even. I dream that I go and see her at a hospital and shes still alive and Im talking to her, she said. Putnams first wife, Kathy stood by him while he was in prison. Susan Daniels Smithwas born in the West Virginia town of Matewan in 1961. He declined a recent written request for an interview. Mark Putnam was the first FBI agent to be convicted of murder. Mark walked the yard and caused 0 problems. Do you think thatd fly if the same situation involved a WHITE president of Nike? This is how the unlikely coupling of Mark and Susan started. According to Jones, "going from a clerical position to being a special agent is rare, but Putnam was determined to beat the odds.". Susan did not once put her children first nor did Mark. "Tricorner" is a place where the states of West Virginia, Kentucky and Virginia meet. Isnt it a shame it wasnt of one of your own he kindly murdered, whom you unseemly waited for the return of their body! Lockhart was apprehended in December 1987 and the next year sentenced to 57 years in federal prison on charges of robbery. Susan Smith, 28 years old when she was killed in 1989, was a coal-miner's daughter from one of the most desperately poor places in America, the rolling, environmentally ravaged mountains of eastern Kentucky, and specifically the narrow Tug Valley, along which the Tug Fork river runs and forms a border with West Virginia. When a key FBI informant disappears, her sister becomes convinced that the married agent who paid the woman for information -- and had an illicit affair with her -- also was her killer. Her body went limp, and the agent realized she was dead. Sometime in mid-1988, they began a sexual relationship. We have enough social justice warriors in the world. . Absolutely no consequences for that action. In the initial investigation of Susan Smith's disappearance, police focused on Kenneth Smith and his acquaintances. It should be a felony to falsely claim that you are pregnant. She was strangled at age 28 by her handler and lover, a FBI Agent. While some claim that Putnam confessed to draw attention away from something worse, his brother insists that he simply "just couldn't bear the guilt. This is about an FBI agent who murdered his informate? She did not deserve to die over being insulted & upset. Did Goebbels help write this?? [8][9], The case was the subject of The FBI Killer (1992), a book by American investigator Aphrodite Jones. And people in this area deserve dignity and definitely the dead deserve dignity.. Yupp. In the statement, he recalled a bitter, violent argument with Ms. Smith about her pregnancy. They get a conviction and her family got her body to bury. But now he can be found at the movies- or in one. In mid-1986, Mark learned that he'd been accepted into the FBI Academy, and on October 6, 1986, he graduated and was finally rewarded with the gold FBI badge he'd long dreamed of obtaining. The couple was driving on a rural eastern Kentucky highway at the time and pulled off the road at Peter Creek Mountain. At that time, Putnam strangled and killed Smith and placed her body in the trunk of his car. Connecticut native Putnam was 27 years old and just out of the FBI Academy when he found himself stationed in Pikeville, Kentucky, a small Appalachian town three hours from Lexington with a practically unsupervised two-agent outpost. Its sad that you rob a bank Cat Eyes and you get nearly 60 years thanks to Susan Daniels Smith, But you murder a PREGNANT informant and you only do 10 years? While they were driving on an isolated country road on June 8, she told him she was pregnant. He told the Associated Press that we had absolutely no evidence. Murder of Susan Daniels Smith at the hands of FBI agent Mark Putnam This story was one of the very first true crime stories that I followed and is in part the reason I am obsessed with true crime in general. She said she was also questioned, having been working at the former movie theater in town, which she said Putnam used as an alibi. His decision to confess likely wasn't just remorse; he appears to have realized that he'd finally been caught. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, US to lift most federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates next week, Multiple fatalities on Illinois highway during a blinding windstorm, U.N. envoy says Sudans warring sides agree to negotiate, Yellen says U.S. could hit debt ceiling as soon as June 1. An affair that eventually ended when Putnam strangled Smith. Not one scintilla or shred of evidence to bring a charge or convict this man., In the 28 years that I have been a prosecutor, this is the first experience that I have had where a lawyer called me on a telephone and said, I have a man who wants to confess to murder, or homicide, and wants to go to the penitentiary, and we had absolutely no evidence.. Recall that in 1987, Agent Mark Putnam was just beginning his investigation of Cat Eyes Lockhart. In exchange, he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. Susan Daniels Smith lived a life of poverty, violence and misery. Offers may be subject to change without notice. But what was the relationship between Smith and Putnam, and how did it get to a point where he felt compelled to choke her to death? After Mark Putnam was able to gain Susan Smith's trust, they started meeting two to three times every week. The pair would meet two to three times every week, and Smith quickly told Putnam she believed Lockhart was planning another heist because she discovered a duffel bag with two sawed-off shotguns and ski masks in their home, Sharkey writes. He was 22 at the time, she was 15. That will never be erased but yes being white made all the difference for him and his future + current success story. Putnam said he and his wife would adopt the child but Ms. Smith refused, and began slapping Putnam.
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