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

Forum Posts for David Smelser:
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Just thinking about the scene that Doug Crowell stumbled upon gives me chills. It wasn’t just the loss of life that’s so haunting, but the eerie setting—the radio playing and lights still on in that isolated cabin. It makes you wonder about the moments beforehand, doesn't it? Who turned that radio on, and what was the last song they heard? It's the details like these that really humanize the victims and highlight the abruptness of the cruel act. To imagine Doug walking into that shocking discovery must have been devastating. My heart goes out to him and all the families affected. It's been decades, and I truly hope that one day, someone out there comes forward with the information needed to bring peace to the loved ones of David, Melinda, and Donald. If you know anything, even if it seems small, it might be a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Has anyone else been thinking about the role that the radio might have played in this case? It's been over three decades, but something about it keeps sticking with me. When Doug Crowell found the cabin, the lights were on, and the radio was playing. That just seems so off. Did the killer leave it on for a reason, like to mask any noise? Or maybe David Smelser and his friends were just hanging out listening to some music, unaware of the danger lurking outside.
The fact that there wasn't any sign of a struggle suggests they might not have sensed the threat at all. It makes my heart ache for their families, knowing how they must have been caught completely off guard. Whatever happened in that cabin, I hope that one day soon, the families of David, Melinda, and Donald finally have the answers they deserve. If anyone has thoughts or can provide insight about whether something like this has been seen in other cases, I'd love to hear more. We can't give up hope that new information will come to light. ❤️
Hey everyone, I've been following the tragic case of David Smelser and the others for a while, and I can't stop thinking about the eerie details that Doug Crowell found when he arrived at the cabin. Can you imagine walking into a scene like that? To find the lights on and a radio playing, with everything looking so normal on the outside, only to discover such a devastating reality inside. I keep wondering if the radio being on was a normal thing for David or if it was a deliberate act by someone else to perhaps mask any noise. It's haunting to think of the familiarity the murderer might have had with David and the cabin itself. It breaks my heart to think of the families, like Becca Newcomb’s, who've gone so long without closure. If anyone has thoughts on why they think the perpetrator left things set up like that, I'd love to hear them. Let’s keep the conversation alive in hopes of keeping this case in focus.