Mom, Jean Smith, along with her son Jim, 19, were murdered,Friday afternoon, in their home in Dale City. The surviving children and father must be reeling from this senseless tragedy. My heart goes out to the family. According the article in the Potomac News, Jean was very active in her childrens’ lives.
By JONATHAN HUNLEY
Published: December 19, 2008A mother and son described as the “kind of people you aspire to be” were found dead in their Dale City home Friday afternoon, Prince William County police said.
Jean Claire Smith, 39, and James Marshall Smith, 19, were discovered by a younger son of Jean Smith at about 3 p.m., Maj. Ray Colgan said.
Mother and son were found in different rooms of their house in the 13600 block of Langford Court, Colgan said.
“It appears to be a double-murder,” he said.
How the Smiths were killed was unclear Friday night, and Colgan said police hadn’t developed a motive for why anyone would harm them.
“They would be called ‘low-risk victims,’” he said.
The family was active at Holy Family Catholic Church, Colgan said, and in activities at C.D. Hylton High School. They seemed to get along with their neighbors.
“This is a fairly quiet neighborhood,” he said as he stood a few feet in front of the Smith home.
Update: There’s another article in the Washington Post at
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/19/AR2008121904030.html.
The question “Why” needs to be asked, though, and it does sound like gang violence.
Rick,
It does not need to be asked on this thread though. You can post on the Wash post site if you would like to venture into that discussion.
Thank you for sharing Maxine.
A candlelight vigil will be held in the parking lot of C.D. Hylton High School in Woodbridge, VA on Monday, December 22 at 7:00pm.
The senseless, violent deaths of Jean Smith and her son, Jim, have stunned our community! Help us find the killers of these two beautiful people. We are hurting and need answers!
Contact Prince William County Crime Solvers at 703-670-3700 or 1-866-411-TIPS. You don’t have to give your name, just the information. You could earn a cash reward.
Far too much death and too many tears in recent days. I am uncharacteristically at a loss for words after this latest tragedy.
Its been released and announced by the local news. The police made two arrest in this homicide case. One adult and one juvenile have been charged and arrested.
Good work to the PWC Police for solving this crime so quickly and getting those dangerous criminals off the streets before they do anything else. My condolences to family and friends of the two victims.
This is so senseless…and all over material possessions. The fact that someone can just come into your house and kill you over THINGS is very distressing. And it can obviously happen to anyone. A family loses a wife, a mother, a son, a brother, all over possessions.
Thank you for the update, Lucky Duck. The PWCPD certainly did a wonderful job solving this horrible case. They are to be commended.
What is truly bad is this was a neighbor apparently. A pretty sad commentary on the state of things when it is OK to break into your neighbor’s house to steal something, and then of course even worse to take lives. A good question though would be why was a gun carried into the house if the intent was just to break in to steal…
Well apparently not gang violence after all. I am glad that the local media printed the killer’s name. I hope that he dies and I hope it happens swiftly. http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/press_conference_to_be_held_in_regards_to_the_double_homicides_this_morning/26658/
This sad story is so disturbing on so many levels, it is almost impossible to comprehend. I don’t know the sequence of events but I find it chilling to think that Mrs. Smith and her son probably knew the POS who killed them. They had probably been kind to him.
Nothing that can be done to this person will ever compensate for the loss of a mother, wife, son, brother. friend, community leader.