In the late morning of August 13, 2021, police in Mobile, Alabama, were called to a residence on Amsterdam Street where they made a grim discovery. Inside the home lay the body of 30-year-old Dillon Thomas Crum, a local man known for his dedication to his young daughter. Crum, a graduate of Daphne High School, owned his own landscaping and pressure washing business.
Those who knew him described him as a devoted father who did everything with his daughter, who he affectionately called his 'princess'. He was also a caring son to his terminally ill mother. Recently, he had been baptized at City Hope Church in Mobile.
The initial investigation into Crum's death quickly led to an arrest. Isaac Bell, 39 years old at the time, was taken into custody and charged with murder and first-degree burglary. However, the case would take a significant turn as another suspect was identified in connection with the crime.
Further investigation pointed to the involvement of Joshua Smiley, then 27 years old. In April 2023, a Mobile County Grand Jury indicted Smiley on the charge of capital murder. The indictment alleged that the tragic shooting of Dillon Crum had occurred in the presence of a child under the age of 14. Following the indictment, Smiley became a fugitive and was placed on the U.S. Marshals Service's 15 Most Wanted list.
The search for Smiley concluded in June 2023 when he was apprehended in a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana. He was subsequently extradited back to Mobile to face the capital murder charge. Upon his return, Smiley pleaded not guilty. The capture of the second suspect brought a sense of relief to Crum's grieving family, who saw it as a step toward finding closure in their profound loss.
