In a quiet neighborhood just outside of Hagerstown, Maryland, a horrific scene unfolded in June of 2014, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock. Authorities discovered the bodies of three individuals inside a home on Dawn Drive in what was determined to be a double murder-suicide. The female victim was identified as 47-year-old Kimberly Smith.
Deputies from the Washington County Sheriff's Office were called to the residence where they found Kimberly Smith, her son
Christopher Wachter, 23, and her husband, William Smith Jr., 54, all deceased. Investigators concluded that William Smith Jr. was the perpetrator, having killed his wife and stepson before taking his own life.
An autopsy revealed that Kimberly Smith and her son, Christopher Wachter, both died from multiple stab wounds. William Smith Jr.'s cause of death was self-inflicted. Law enforcement officials stated that they were not searching for any other suspects in connection with the deaths. A shotgun was recovered from the home, although the primary cause of death for Kimberly and her son was stabbing.
The motive for the tragic events remains unclear. Neighbors in the typically peaceful, family-friendly area were stunned by the violence that had occurred in their midst. The bodies of all three individuals were transported to the Medical Examiner's Office in Baltimore for autopsies to be performed.
