268 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

David Smelser

Case from Eaton, OH dated Oct 30, 1987

Victim Details

Name

David Smelser

Case Added

February 11, 2022

Gender

Male

Race

Caucasian / White

City

Eaton

State

OH

Date Found

1987-10-30

First Name

David

Last Name

Smelser

Last Updated

07/10/2026

Area Body Found:

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!

On October 30, 1987, David Smelser, along with two other individuals—Melinda Newcomb and Donald Marker—was tragically murdered in an isolated cabin located at 2188 Consolidated Road in Eaton, Ohio. The murders were discovered on November 2, 1987, when a friend, Doug Crowell, went to check on Smelser after he failed to appear for work. Upon arriving at the cabin, Crowell found that Smelser's truck was still there, lights were on, and a radio was playing. When Crowell looked inside, he discove ...

MEMBER ACCESS

Continue reading the complete case summary

Unlock the full case narrative for David Smelser, all available source links, additional videos, and member discussions.

Unlock Full Case Access — $3.97/month

Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in

Links to Additional Sources (5)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

David Smelser Unsolved homicide - Ohio Attorney General

The 1987 Preble County Triple Homicide with Greg Noble - Omny.fm

MEMBER ACCESS

Unlock 3 additional sources

View the complete collection of available reporting and reference links for this case.

View All Case Sources — $3.97/month

Cancel anytime.
Already a member? Log in

Forum Posts (3)

Just thinking about the scene that Doug Crowell stumbled upon gives me chills. It wasn’t just the ... ...Read More
12/07/2024

Has anyone else been thinking about the role that the radio might have played in this case? It's bee... ...Read More
08/07/2024

Hey everyone, I've been following the tragic case of David Smelser and the others for a while, and I... ...Read More
05/23/2024

MEMBER ACCESS

Join the discussion for David Smelser

Read full forum posts and contribute to this case discussion.

Unlock forum access — $3.97/month
Already a member? Log in

Other Cases from Eaton, Ohio

Donnie Marker

Death: Oct 30, 1987
On the evening of October 30, 1987, three individuals, including Donnie Marker, were killed in a bru r ...Read More

Clay Boatman

Death: Aug 03, 1990
Clay Russell Boatman, a 32-year-old licensed practical nurse, tragically lost his life on August 14, 4 ...Read More

Bradley Creech

Death: Jan 19, 2019
Bradley D. Creech, a 56-year-old man from Eaton, Ohio, passed away on January 19, 2019. He was born n ...Read More