Sunday, February 15, 2009

Chance Encounter at a Yardsale Helps Solve Unsolved Double Murder Mystery

I was reading today's Washington Post and there was an article about a recent death bed confession pertaining to a 40 year old unsolved murder mystery. Here's the full article, it's rather long but pretty interesting.

Washington Post Article (I hope the link works)

From the article: "Sharron Diane Crawford Smith might have died without confessing if it weren't for a chance encounter at a yard sale June 21, 2008. Joyce Bradshaw, who used to work with Smith, was at the yard sale when she saw a truck that belonged to one of the victim's relatives and left a note asking him to call her. Until then, Smith's name had been buried deep in police files."

If the woman hadn't been at that yardsale and left the note and had the case reopened, the murderer probably would have died without confessing to the crime and giving some answers to the families involved and to those who were wrongly accused.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live maybe an hour away from the Valley, less than that with the way the crow flies. But isn't that just a CRAZY story? To imagine that she would have taken that to her grave. I know the victims families must feel better, just having that closure. As always Queen, keep up the good work. :o)

Anonymous said...

I read that article too. Funny things have happened at yard sales, but now we have to worry about solving murder mysteries too? Sometimes I've seen sellers (and buyers) that looked suspicious, but I'd never believe they committed murder. I can't decide if this gives yard sales a 'good' name or a 'bad' name; what do you think?

Chris the Yardsale Queen said...

I think the article is positive towards yardsailors since it was just seeing a name on a truck that rekindled the woman's memory about what the murderer had told her years ago and how the police didn't pursue it.