Forensic Files - Season 7, Episode 42 - Last Will - Full Episode

Summary

The video recounts the harrowing abduction and murder of 17-year-old Shari Smith in South Carolina in 1985. Larry Gene Bell, the kidnapper, taunted her family with disturbing phone calls and allowed Shari to write a final letter to her family before killing her. The investigation reveals Bell’s meticulous planning, but forensic evidence from Shari's letter leads to his capture. Bell's actions extend to a second victim, Debra Helmick, before his eventual trial and execution. Despite the tragedy, Shari’s family finds solace in her final words and faith.

Takeaways

• 🔍 A man named Larry Gene Bell abducted 17-year-old Shari Smith, allowing her to write a 'last will and testament' to her family before he killed her.
• 📞 Bell taunted Shari's family with chilling phone calls, using a distorted voice to communicate and describe her appearance and condition.
• 🚔 Despite extensive efforts, including phone call tracing, authorities were initially unable to locate Shari or her abductor.
• 💔 Shari's father found her car running at the mailbox with her belongings still inside, and she was nowhere to be found.
• ✉️ Days after her abduction, the Smith family received a letter in Shari's handwriting titled 'Last Will and Testament,' expressing her love for her family.
• ⏳ The abductor corrected himself about the time of the letter, which led investigators to believe Shari was killed shortly after writing it.
• 🕵️‍♂️ FBI investigators used the indentations on the paper from Shari's letter to trace the abductor to Larry Gene Bell, who was house-sitting for a family nearby.
• ⚖️ Bell was convicted of kidnapping and murder, with the jury taking only 47 minutes to return a guilty verdict, and he was sentenced to death.
• 🔗 Bell’s eventual identification was aided by forensic science techniques and investigative efforts that connected him to another victim, Debra May Helmick.
• 🌹 Shari's parents, Bob and Hilda Smith, continue to honor their daughter's memory, with Hilda writing a book titled 'The Rose of Shari.'

Q & A

Who was Shari Smith and what significant event was she looking forward to?

Shari Smith was a 17-year-old girl who was preparing to sing the National Anthem at her high school graduation. She was also planning to go on a cruise with her classmates.

What were the circumstances surrounding Shari Smith's abduction?

Shari was abducted on May 31, 1985, after stopping at her mailbox, 700 feet from her house. Her car was found running with her purse inside, but she was missing, and barefooted footprints led to the mailbox without returning.

What was the nature of the first phone call the Smith family received from the abductor?

The abductor called two days after Shari's abduction, describing the clothes she was wearing to prove the call was not a hoax. He said she was fine and made no ransom demands, but promised the family a letter.

What was the significance of the 'Last Will and Testament' letter from Shari Smith?

The letter was written by Shari under duress and contained heartfelt messages to her family, asking them to live on for Jesus. She also mentioned her funeral, asking for a closed casket, implying she knew her fate.

What was revealed through the abductor's phone calls about Shari's death?

The abductor revealed details about the time Shari wrote her last letter and implied she died at 4:58 AM on June 1, two hours after the letter. Investigators believed she was suffocated with duct tape.

How did investigators trace the identity of Larry Gene Bell, the killer?

Using forensic techniques, investigators discovered indentations on the letter from a legal pad Bell had used. This led them to a phone number connected to Ellis Sheppard, for whom Bell was house-sitting, leading to his identification.

What forensic evidence linked Larry Gene Bell to Shari Smith's murder?

Investigators found blonde hairs similar to Shari's in the house where Bell was staying. The stamps used to mail Shari's letter matched those found in the house, and Bell's behavior during this period also raised suspicion.

How did Larry Gene Bell behave during his interactions with the Smith family and investigators?

Bell taunted the Smith family with chilling phone calls, describing Shari's death and making cryptic statements. He seemed agitated, lost weight, and talked obsessively about the case to others, fitting the profile of a serial killer.

What other victim was connected to Larry Gene Bell, and how was she abducted?

Bell also abducted Debra May Helmick, a young girl taken from in front of her parents' trailer. She was abducted in a manner similar to Shari, and her body was later found, confirming Bell as a serial killer.

What was the outcome of Larry Gene Bell's trial for the murders of Shari Smith and Debra Helmick?

Larry Gene Bell was found guilty of the murders of both Shari Smith and Debra Helmick. He was sentenced to death by electrocution, which was carried out in South Carolina's electric chair.