Case 352: Gregory Smart

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On the night of Tuesday May 1 1990, a group of family and friends gathered at a home on Misty Morning Drive in the town of Derry, New Hampshire. At around 10pm, as they broke out into a joyful rendition of Happy Birthday, their celebration was abruptly cut short by a blood-curdling scream. Fred Lombardi, the host of the party, rushed outside to see what was going on. Disturbances were rare on the quiet cul-de-sac, which was largely made up of condominiums occupied by young couples. As Fred stepped into the street, he almost collided with his 22-year-old neighbour, Pamela Smart. Pamela had been running away from the unit she rented with her 24-year-old husband, Gregory. What is it? What's the matter? What's happened? Fred asked. Pamela frantically replied, It's my husband. He's been killed. He's dead. As Fred began moving toward the Smart residence, Pamela grabbed him and yelled, No, don't go in there. It wouldn't do any good. He's dead. I know it. Fred persisted, saying he wanted to help, but Pamela begged him not to. Please, she said, don't go in there. Just call the police.

The first officer to arrive on scene observed Pamela Smart kneeling on the stoop of a neighbouring home, sobbing. Onlookers directed him to the Smarts unit. Inside, the foyer light illuminated Gregory Smart, dressed in grey pants and a matching sports coat. He was lying face down, with his feet on the tiled foyer floor and the rest of his body on the carpet in the adjoining dining area. A small amount of blood had pulled beneath his nose. As the officer went to roll Gregory over to begin CPR, he noticed a large fatal wound on the upper left side of his head. No one else was found inside the residence, which had been ransacked. CDs were scattered everywhere, a VCR was overturned on the floor, and stereo speakers were placed by the back door along with the small television. It appeared that a burglar had been piling their loot there in preparation to flee when they were interrupted by Gregory arriving home. He was shot once in the head at close range, killing him instantly.

The main bedroom upstairs was also in disarray. Draws had been pulled out, clothing was tossed about, and an empty jewellery box was found in the bathroom sink. Given the upstairs area was less messy than downstairs, investigators surmised that at least two people were involved in the crime. One less haphazard than the other. Pillow stuffing was found throughout the unit, and several sofa pillows were missing, suggesting they had been emptied and used as bags to carry stolen goods. The smart, small pet dog, which usually roamed freely throughout the residence, was found locked in the cellar. Behind the condominium was a grassy hill leading to parkland, commonly used as a shortcut to a nearby shopping plaza. About 100 yards from the smart's condo, in a mowed area, police found a carving knife embedded in the ground along with paper towels, a plastic jewellery box and parts of a cardboard jewellery box, all of which had come from the smart residence. During an interview with police that night, Pamela Smart stated she worked as a media coordinator for School Administrative Unit 21, which oversaw several school districts across the state. Her office building was across from Winnicunnet High School, just under an hour's drive from her home. Gregory worked as a salesman for his father's insurance firm and left home that day at 9am. Pamela left at about 9.45, slightly later than usual because she was attending a school board meeting that evening. When she returned home at around 10.10pm, Gregory's pickup truck was parked outside, but the internal house lights were off and the front door was locked. Upon entering the unit, Pamela turned on the foyer light and discovered Gregory's lifeless body.

There was no sign of forced entry around the unit, but Pamela suggested the rear French doors might have been left unlocked after a recent gathering. Investigators also found the bulkhead leading to the cellar unsecured. Given that the Smarts didn't usually leave lights on when they were away, Gregory likely entered the dark unit without sensing any danger. Pamela was cooperative with investigators and willing to assist them in any way. However, they noted that she was unusually composed for someone who had just found her husband brutally murdered. She didn't cry during questioning and appeared more anxious than distressed. Her eyes frequently moved around the room and she seemed tense.