I loved Game of Thrones, you know. Even the polygraph test wasn't admissible in court. Smith and Putnam's verbal argument turned physical, and he ended up strangling her. Did Goebbels help write this?? Thank you Irving, good read. And according to " Above Suspicion ," there was a lot of money to be given out to informants. Discovery (@wbd) August 23, 2016. [Photo by Ed Reinke/AP File]Trouble Comes Back To Town. You know, and rumors aside about anything, you know, you should always treat people with dignity, said Collins. In his written confession, Putnam said he strangled Smith in a fit of rage because she was threatening to tell his wife and superiors that she was carrying his child. Continuing their street shit inside. In an effort to get transferred, Mark also claimed that he and his family had received bomb threats. It seems like it wont go away, Ward said of the case. They had no evidence at all and a failed polygraph test. Its a woman who lost her life: Pike County murder hits movie screens, LMPD officer Nickolas Wilts recovery takes huge step forward, JCPS middle school student taken to hospital after eating suspected medicated gummies, LMPD: Man killed in wrong-way head on crash on Preston Highway, Spencer County High School student dies in crash, KSP: Marion County man charged with child sexual exploitation offenses, 2-month-old retriever puppies arrive at Ky. Humane Society after being found in ditch, Louisville man looks to attend his 84th Kentucky Derby. Later, the medical examiner found that Kathy died due to a combination of pancreatitis and hepatic steatosis, according to the Journal Inquirer. 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.. The icing on the cake was when president Obama declared Treyvon Martin was the son he never had. The reason George Z. was found innocent by a racially diverse jury was because he was simply protecting his life from having his head bashed into the concrete sidewalk. Putnam reportedly confessed because he got overwhelmed with the guilt. But thats where this weeks case takes us. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But I had pleaded guilty to murder in 2001 of a Chicago police man and got out 2012 for good model. In a signed confession, Mark Putnam said he choked Susan Daniels Smith, 27, on June 8, 1989, in an act of extreme rage while the couple arued over support of her expected child. On the one hand, she seemed to have the idea that it was like a regular job, and Mark was her boss, Kathy says in Sharkeys book. Susan Daniels Smith was born in Matewan, West Virginia, in 1961, but soon after her birth, her family moved to Freeburn, Kentucky. Im not white and I have to roll my eyes to that foolish question! While there, Putnam was reportedly the same type of person he'd been throughout his youth, exhibiting "aggression in sports and in class but extreme caution about divulging information about his private affairs," Jones writes. Theres no hiding from it. Although Mark Putnam claimed that he murdered Susan Smith because she threatened to tell his wife about their affair and her pregnancy, Smith's sister Shelby Ward remains convinced that this wasn't the only reason she was murdered. What would you do if someones trying to snatch your weapon away from you? Mark Putnam had met Susan Smith while she was a police informant regarding some of the drug and bank robbing activities going on in Kentucky. One year into his 16-year sentence, the only FBI agent ever charged with a homicide is coming to grips with life 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. What happened to his children? Description In 1987, an ambitious rookie FBI agent came to Pikeville, Kentucky for his first posting out of the academy. Although Mark Putnam was now based in Miami, Florida, he returned to Pikeville in the summer of 1989 to tie up a car theft case that he had been working on. Theres a lot of things Ive not told the press . I think it was her fingernail, but Im not sure. Probable killer of 2, convicted robber, African American- plays golf and smirks for the camera. . [4] Putnam insisted he and his wife Kathy could adopt the baby but Smith refused. Putnam underwent a polygraph exam, which he failed. It is believed that the affair broke her heart. There was motive to kill given that she was claiming to expose their relationship and pregnancy placing his career and family on the line. They had to be very young when their mum died. Due to good behavior, Mark Putnam was released from prison in 2000 after serving 10 years out of his 16-year sentence. The 28-year-old woman, Putnams informant and lover, was reported to have been four months pregnant when she was strangled on June 8, 1989, but medical examiners officials say they have yet to find any trace of a fetus. While visiting Pikeville to wrap up a case, Putnam took Smith on a drive to Peter Creek Mountain one night. Do the research. For her assistance in the case, Susan received $5,000 (nearly $12,000 in 2021 dollars). The number one thing in this whole sad, sick story was Susans children and Marks children, they deserved better. An affair that eventually ended when Putnam strangled Smith. In "The FBI Encyclopedia," Michael Newton writes that Putnam graduated from the University of Tampa as a B-average student majoring in criminology. The movie theater announces its showtimes on itsFacebook page. It doesnt matter if youre an upstanding citizen. [5], Despite being sentenced to 16 years in prison, Putnam served only 10 years due to good behavior, and was described as a "model inmate". They met frequently to exchange information about Lockharts activities and plans. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Ward claimed that FBI Agent Ron Poole, Putnam's superior, not only knew about Smith's pregnancy but also disclosed to Smith information about Putnam's "alleged illicit activities." By the way, if you can get your hands on the movie Betrayed By Love, youre in for a tearjerker. Initially, Mark Putnam was assigned to the Louisville office in Kentucky, and Kathy Putnam had already started looking for houses in the area. But he received a light sentence because the authorities had no case. The majority of black inmates act like a slew of undisciplined children in grown-up bodies. Thanks for contacting us. Susan Daniels Smith lived a life of poverty, violence and misery. Yes, he killed her, but he was also a model inmate and had not once received any disciplinary incidents. I was raised in a terrible situation and you can choose to raise above it at some point. As far as O.J. Now Putnam had a dead body on his hands. [2], Putnam was released from prison in 2000, at age 41. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. . It will forever be a win in my book. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. The guy did 10 years, which is well above the average for time served in his situation. On June 8, 1989, Susan Daniels Smith was killed in the Pikeville area. 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. She was a poor drug-addicted mother of two, and he was an educated, decorated FBI agent. In this case, the murderer wasnt a poor white man, and he was kind of an elite government employee. For a whole year, Susan Daniels Smith (Sue Smith), who was four months pregnant, was missing. Mark Putnams wife, Kathy, has moved to Minnesota to be near her husband. He ADMITS to killing an African American kid when he was 18. I think many times white people try to be social justice warriors and speak out for people whom they dont see as equals, thinking they are doing them a favor when its just down putting, as they ARE, of course EQUALS. The reason Treyvon Martin was killed was because he did not have sense enough to ask, why are you following me? Trayvon, in typical thug style, tried to give an innocent man a beat down. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. All that was left of Susan was skeletal remains. They get a conviction and her family got her body to bury. And.. Putnam was sentenced to 16 years in prison, but was released after 10 years, early in 2000, on good behavior. FBI Special Killer Agent | Mark Putnam / Susan Daniels Smith Case Analysis Dr. Todd Grande 1.27M subscribers 149K views 11 months ago This video answers the question: Can I analyze the case. In 1987, an ambitious rookie FBI agent came to Pikeville, Kentucky for his first posting out of the academy. Still, in mid-1989 he had to return to complete an unrelated investigation. Putnams confession was attached to an indictment returned Tuesday by the Pike County grand jury. I saw an interview he did with Oprah in the late 80s or early 90s he was very candid and straightforward. She was strangled at age 28 by her handler and lover, a FBI Agent. Ive thought about it and I feel sort of bad collecting money off it, but I went through a lot of hell for it, she said. What would you do if someone were banging your head in the concrete and you had a weapon? I believe he behaved while in prison, thats why he only served 10 years, not because hes white. What does that count for anything? She falsely claimed to be pregnant. And in 1980, Lockhart achieved his own dream after stealing $300,000 from a bank in Grundy, Virginia. This raises the question of whether or not Smith was ever pregnant, or if there would be any reason for others to try to disprove her pregnancy. Shown here is Mark Putnamthe first FBI agent in history to be convicted of a homicide. Two years before Mark was released from prison, his wife Kathy Putnam died suddenly from organ failure at the age of 38. Putnam had become involved in a risque sexual affair with Susan Daniels Smith, who by all accounts was from the rough side of town. Putnam, who already had been transferred to Miami, dumped the body off a coal mine road in the eastern Kentucky hills and returned to his wife and two children. After college, he attended the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia. 1989 murder of Susan Daniels smith by 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. What is the point of stating this? It appears there was ample evidence to proffer First Degree Murder Premeditation and Deliberation which might have been deliberately or inadvertently destroyed. Eventually, Susan Daniels Smith became pregnant and Mark Putnam wanted to distance himself from Smith before the affair could ruin his marriage. Theres a long history of killers with higher socioeconomic status than their victims getting softer sentences than what their crime alone deserved. The FBI arrested Cat Eyes Lockhart in December 1987. He served his time there have plenty of persons of color who were released either by being model prisoners or because they were found not guilty, Mark had no former criminal file and was, before the murder, an upstanding citizen. Her body was found last. His battles with the church arent over, How Palm Springs ran out Black and Latino families to build a fantasy for rich, white people, U.S. says 20,000 Russians killed in Ukraine war since December, Speaker Kevin McCarthy addresses Knesset amid fraught U.S.-Israel ties, First Republic: Cheap, interest-only jumbo mortgages to Silicon Valleys elite fueled the banks failure, SpaceX used wildlife preserve as dumping ground for space waste, lawsuit alleges, Judge blocks Missouri rule that would limit transgender care. 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. After being paroled, Lockhart and his girlfriend Sherri Justice rented a room from Kenneth and Susan Smith a divorced couple who maintained the same residence with their two children. A year later, apparently racked by guilt, he offered to lead authorities to her body. She said the child was his and threatened to expose him. Simpson acquittal. 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. There were no winners in this case. Poole, who was transferred to Lexington, Ky., shortly before Putnams conviction, declined to comment on the case. But after getting a divorce, Susan and Kenneth continued living together. He soon met a girl from the nearby holler who worked as an informant. Even in the movie they mentioned 6 is the usual for manslaughter with most serving 2 with good behavior. And now to, you know, see her in a movie, you know, about my hometown-even though it was a dark part of our towns history, said local man and Riverfill 10 employee Jonathan Collins. No Body No case! How nice for him. The movie also didnt show that Susan Smiths body was decomposing for a year before Putnam decided to tell where her bones could be found. His decision to confess likely wasn't just remorse; he appears to have realized that he'd finally been caught. Sometime in mid-1988, they began a sexual relationship. An affair that eventually ended when Putnam strangled Smith. Your email address will not be published. Susan Smith (ne Daniels 1961 [3] - June 8, 1989) was an American FBI informant. The move was based on the suggestion of Bert Hatfield the part-time cop who initially suggested Kenneth as an informant. Susan began calling Putnams home constantly, and his wife Kathy would pick up the phone and play the role of therapist for hours on end. 7.8K views 9 months ago In 1987, an ambitious rookie FBI agent came to Pikeville, Kentucky for his first posting out of the academy. To satisfy your wondering question he could be Green it doesnt matter. Matewan is at the heart of the area embroiled in the infamous nineteenth century Hatfield-McCoy feud. Susan Daniels was born in Matewan, West Virginia in 1961. It happens all the time. At the end of the day, Smith and Putnam are the only ones who truly know how long the affair lasted, and it's impossible to know which one of them was telling the truth. I wonder if hed be a remarried personal trainer if he were anything other than white? Those are the facts, regardless of the bullcrap people tend to spread. Then, on the other, I think she saw him and her as Bonnie and Clyde.. The Inquisitr is a registered trademark. After leaving it there for a day while he drove around, Putnam left the body by an old coal mining road the following evening. On June 8, 1989, Putnam took Smith in his rental car to a clearing, and after a brief discussion and threats by both sides, they began to fight. This is about an FBI agent who murdered his informate? This is how the unlikely coupling of Mark and Susan started. People dont say this out of white guilt, they say it because they either believe black people or they have witnessed it first hand like I have. Investigation Discoverys Betrayed is produced by Trigger Street Productions, All3Media America, and Giant Pirates Entertainment, according to Broadway World. Whether or not these claims played into the decision, Mark was transferred to Miami, Florida in 1989. And then she met Mark Putnam and became obsessed. Putnam said he and his wife would adopt the child but Ms. Smith refused, and began slapping Putnam. The victims sister, Shelby Ward of Freeburn, was cited for trying to conceal a .38-caliber handgun in the courtroom by Kentucky State Police, and was released. Roadside Attractions/Courtesy . I wonder if he would indeed have been doing this is he was black or would have resorted to reoffending. Because of Shelby Wards persistence--and the wrongful-death suit the family has filed against Putnam--Susan Daniels Smiths body was exhumed in May and the autopsy on her resumed, two years after she was killed. The story of slain FBI informant Susan Smith of Pikeville will be featured on an episode of the new series The Perfect Suspect, which airs at 9 p.m. Thursday on Investigation Discovery. Ward said FBI Agent Ron Poole, who was Putnams superior and knew about the pregnancy, had talked with her about Putnam. Putnam was given a polygraph test, which is also known as a lie detector test. I dont care if they have a record or not. . She will get pregnant, and she will ruin you.. Kenneth was a drug dealer when the two of them met, and soon they were using drugs together. Susan Daniels Smith Murder, The Genre. Putnam and Susan met in the spring of 1987. 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 . He placed Susan in the trunk of his rental car. It is unlikely it will die down soon. Locals believe keeping the story alive is important, but some are suspicious of how the story will come across through the Hollywood gaze. Plus I believe his conscience was eating at him. 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? They used her and they killed her and they dumped her out like a bag of garbage.. I agree with you Its becoming so ridiculous to keep throwing the race card in. But strangely, Kathys parents always stuck by their former son-in-law. After Kenneth's parole officer informed Putnam he was "totally unreliable," Putnam approached Susan to be an informant. Youre correct Jolene. He didnt even confess until after a year, after being a suspect and after a failed polygraph test. Bringing race into this is like saying 6% of the population (black males) are responsible for 48% of all violent crimes: Source: Department of Justice Statistics year in year out. Some people have suggested that he confessed to the slaying to hide something worse from authorities, but his younger brother, Tim Putnam, said he believes that Mark just could not bear the guilt. According to Putnam, his contact with Smith became less frequent after Lockhart's case was closed. After some false leads, they focused in on Carl Edward Cat Eyes Lockhart, a local eccentric and repeat offender who had a pesky habit of wildly spending his loot. In exchange, he was allowed to plead guilty to a lesser charge of first-degree manslaughter. The following year saw him sentenced to 57 years in federal prison for robbery. And once that $5,000 was used, there wasn't really any upper limit. However, Smith insisted on continuing their relationship, and by mid-1988, they had begun an active sexual relationship.