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Katie Smith

Case from Nassau, Bahamas dated Jan 26, 1974

Victim Details

Katie Smith

Female

White / Caucasian

Nassau

Bahamas

1974-01-26

17

Katie

Smith

07/04/2026

Case Description

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On January 26, 1974, 17-year-old American female tourist Katie Smith was murdered in Nassau, Bahamas. Katie Smith, a white teenager from Detroit, Michigan, was one of three American victims killed over a two-month span by a man later identified as Michaiah Shobek. Her death marked the final act in a chilling series of stabbings that shocked both the Bahamian community and international observers.

The suspect, born James Michael Shoffner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, had moved to the Bahamas in ...
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Links to Additional Sources (4)

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  • Cable: 1974NASSAU00757_b - WikiLeaks
  • Bahamas to Execute an American Today for Murder of 3 Tourists
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    Forum Posts (1)

    Hey everyone,
    I'm struck by the sheer randomness and tragic nature of Katie Smith’s murder. I... ...Read More
    06/11/2023
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