Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP9435) and 4 other sources
Steven Lee Smith, a 52-year-old man from Lafayette, Indiana, was last seen on December 6, 2008, leaving his residence near South 4th Street at around 12:40 a.m. He was reportedly walking towards the downtown and river area of Lafayette but was never seen again. After his disappearance, family and friends reported that they had no contact from him, and his apartment was found unusually clean, with many personal items missing.

His roommate, Wesley Elliott Kelly, later admitted to being involved in Steven's disappearance. Kelly claimed that an argument between the two escalated into a physical confrontation in their apartment, where Kelly assaulted Steven, leading to his death. Kelly then confessed to knocking Steven off a bridge into the Wabash River. Although Kelly was convicted of murder in 2010, receiving a 60-year sentence, Steven's body has never been recovered, and authorities believe it may still be in the Wabash River.

Despite extensive searches, Steven's remains have not been found, and his case remains open as an unresolved missing person investigation.

Last Seen: Dec 31, 2008

Possible Unidentified Matches (2)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

77%Possible
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois - unidentified case UP11512
John Doe — Chicago, Illinois
UP11512 • Found May 2, 2013
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 45–60 vs 52 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 73%108 mi away
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 100%5'11" vs 6'0"–6'1"
Weight 100%149 lb vs 140–145 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
75%Possible
John Doe — Illinois - unidentified case UP10829
John Doe — Illinois
UP10829 • Found Sep 14, 2011
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–60 vs 52 when missing
Race 100%White
Location 75%101 mi away
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 84%6'3" vs 6'0"–6'1"
Weight 0%259 lb vs 140–145 lb
Hair 40%Brown vs Gray
Eyes 100%Hazel vs Hazel

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.