On a tragic day in March 2021, the life of 19-year-old White male Curtis Mason Smith of Frederick, Maryland, was cut short. His body was discovered on March 20, 2021, inside his own car which was left near an abandoned barn in a remote area of Frederick. An investigation quickly determined that Smith had died from a fatal gunshot wound. This discovery came after his family had reported him missing a day earlier, sparking a search that ended in heartbreak.
The investigation into Smith's
death swiftly led authorities to a former classmate, 19-year-old Joshua David Eckenrode. According to charging documents, the two had arranged to meet on March 19, 2021, for the purpose of a firearm transaction. It was during this meeting at Eckenrode's residence that he fatally shot Smith. Following the shooting, Eckenrode placed Smith's body in his Honda Accord and drove it to the abandoned property where it was later found by a family whose dog had gotten loose.
A search of Eckenrode's residences uncovered a chilling collection of weapons, including assembled explosive devices and bomb-making materials. Investigators also found notes written by Eckenrode that suggested he was planning a mass casualty event. Authorities and Smith's family have expressed the belief that Smith may have prevented a larger tragedy from unfolding. His father, Zachary Smith, called his son a hero, speculating that he lost his life for refusing to participate in Eckenrode's plans.
Joshua Eckenrode was arrested and initially charged with possession of explosive materials and weapons. These charges were soon upgraded to first-degree murder and use of a firearm in a violent crime. In October 2022, Eckenrode entered a binding guilty plea to first-degree murder and several weapons and explosives charges. He was sentenced to life in prison with all but forty years suspended. Upon his release, he will be subject to five years of supervised probation, GPS monitoring, and is to have no contact with the victim's family.
