Fear spread throughout Baltimore in December 2018 after a woman was stabbed to death giving money to a panhandler. However, local law enforcement revealed the woman’s death was staged by her own husband and stepdaughter.
Keith Smith, 52 and his daughter, Valerie Smith, 28 were arrested by Texas State Police Sunday (March 3) near the U.S-Mexico border attempting to flee the country. Warrants have since been issued for Jacquelyn Smith’s death. According to reports, both have been charged with first-degree murder.
“The information and evidence points it wasn’t a panhandler,” Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said. “People take advantage of Baltimore. We want to make sure the truth comes out and justice is done.”
Jacquelyn, 54, was an electrical engineer at Aberdeen Proving Ground, when she was stabbed to death on Dec. 1 at 12:30 AM at North Valley and East Chase streets.
Days after Jacquelyn’s death, Keith and Valerie stood in front of camera crew as they tearfully described the fatal encounter. They blamed her death on a man who walked up to the car after a woman in the rain begged while holding a child. They two said the man approached the vehicle under the guise of thanking her only to snatch her necklace, pocketbook and then stab her.
“This girl actually said, ‘God bless you,’ ” Keith Smith said in December. However, the family never believed the story and always suspected Keith was behind the crime. Jacquelyn’s murder drew national attention, even meriting public concern from Oprah Winfrey.
“I’m hopeful this person never sees the light of day, but I mean, to me, that’s not closure,” Jacquelyn’s brother, Marcel Trisvan said. “My sister was robbed from this world. This didn’t need to happen.”