Susan Smith Denied Parole 30 Years After Drowning Her Two Sons

True Crime Today | A True Crime Podcast

Susan Smith, the South Carolina mother convicted of murdering her two sons in 1994, was denied parole on Wednesday, Nov. 20, after appearing before the South Carolina parole board. The denial comes nearly three decades after Smith drove her car into a lake with her children, Michael (3) and Alex (14 months), strapped inside, a crime that shocked the nation.
Smith, now 53, appeared via videoconference and addressed the board with remorse. “I know that what I did was horrible,” she said, according to CNN. She added, “I am a Christian and God is a big part of my life and I know he has forgiven me and I know that is by his grace and mercy … And I just ask that you show that same kind of mercy as well.”
The board rejected her request, citing the severity of her crime.
On October 25, 1994, Susan, then 23, claimed that a Black man had carjacked her vehicle with her sons still inside, prompting a national search. For nine days, she made tearful public pleas for their safe return. However, the truth unraveled when Susan confessed to letting her car roll into John D. Long Lake, killing her children.
Prosecutors revealed that Susan’s motive stemmed from her affair with a wealthy man who had ended their relationship because she had children. In 1995, she was convicted of two counts of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Her ex-husband, David Smith, reflected on her actions during an interview with the *Today* show, stating, “I don’t think Susan should ever be granted parole. It wasn’t an accident; she deliberately killed our boys.”
David also described the lingering anger he felt during the trial. “I used to sit there and look at the back of her head and then look at where the bailiffs were and think about killing her,” he admitted.
Smith’s time in prison at Leath Correctional Institution in Greenwood, South Carolina, has been marked by disciplinary infractions. She has been punished for self-mutilation, drug use, and unauthorized interviews, among other violations. She was also disciplined for having sexual relationships with two prison staff members, both of whom faced criminal charges.
In 2015, Smith wrote to a local newspaper in an attempt to defend her character. “I am not the monster society thinks I am. I am far from it,” she claimed.
Despite these statements, critics, including her ex-husband, believe she has not demonstrated genuine remorse. “I don’t think she’ll ever be rehabilitated,” David told the *Today* show.
Though he opposes her release, David has spoken about his journey to forgiveness. “Yes, I have forgiven her, but that doesn’t take away what she did. It doesn’t make it easier,” he told Court TV in September.
David continues to grieve the loss of his sons, holding on to memories of Michael and Alex. A photograph of him holding their picture outside the courthouse after the verdict in 1995 remains a poignant reminder of the tragedy.
The South Carolina parole board hears dozens of cases each day, but Smith’s high-profile application garnered widespread attention. To secure parole, she needed a two-thirds majority vote from the seven-member panel, which she did not achieve.
Parole for violent offenders in South Carolina is rare, with only 8% of applicants granted release. If Susan Smith chooses, she may reapply in two years.
The board’s decision ensures that, for now, Susan Smith will remain behind bars, continuing to serve her life sentence for the murder of her two sons—a crime that still haunts the nation decades later.
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