In the fall of 2020, a young man named Chandler Smith vanished from Aiken, South Carolina, leaving his family searching for answers. On October 22, 2020, the 22-year-old was last seen on Wire Road shortly after his release from the Aiken County Detention Center. A taxicab had been arranged to pick him up, and the driver later confirmed seeing Chandler in the detention center's parking lot upon arrival.
Before he could leave, however, Chandler was approached by three individuals in a red Mitsubishi sedan. The group consisted of a slim-built African-American man and two Hispanic men. Witnesses saw the men speak with Chandler before he leaned into the waiting cab and told the driver he no longer needed the ride. He was then seen getting into the red sedan with the three men, and the car drove away. Chandler has not been seen or heard from since that afternoon.
At the time of his disappearance, Chandler was described as being 5'9' and weighing around 185 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He had a notable tattoo of the words 'CAROLINA BOY' with an outline of the state of South Carolina. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants that had the NASA logo in white lettering, a plain white t-shirt, a bluish-grey jacket, Nike tennis shoes, and a camouflage Mossy Oak hat. His family, wracked with worry after not hearing from him, which was highly uncharacteristic, reported him missing. His mother had last seen him the day before he vanished, when he and his girlfriend stopped by for a brief visit. The family initiated a frantic search, using social media to circulate his picture and information in the hopes of finding him.
As weeks turned into months, the investigation into Chandler's disappearance took a dark turn. What began as a missing person case was reclassified as a homicide investigation in March 2021. Investigators announced they had discovered Chandler's blood inside a residence on Tundra Trail in Aiken County, about a twenty-minute drive from where he was last seen. Despite this discovery, Chandler's remains have never been located. The case has seen developments with several individuals facing charges. One person, Ricardo Negrete, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact. Others, including Serapin Leva Jr., were charged with kidnapping. However, three other men, Jesus Negrete, Gonzalo Negrete, and Lorenzo Negrete, remain at large, wanted on charges that include murder and kidnapping. Authorities believe these individuals have fled to Mexico. The case is a heart-wrenching story of a young man who disappeared under suspicious circumstances, with his family left waiting for justice and a chance to bring him home. The transition from a hopeful search to a grim murder investigation has been a painful journey for his loved ones, who continue to live with the emptiness of his absence while the search for the fugitives continues.Last Seen: Oct 22, 2020
