Do you know who murdered Nathaddeus Smith? In the early morning hours of April 15, 1995, the life of 25-year-old Nathaddeus J. Smith was tragically cut short in a brutal act of violence on the streets of Washington, D.C. Witnesses reported seeing a male suspect in a red jacket chasing Smith down the 1700 block of Kenyon Street NW. A struggle ensued, and the assailant stabbed Smith multiple times. Residents in the area heard screams for mercy and quickly contacted the police, but by the time officers arrived, Smith had succumbed to his injuries. The suspect then fled the scene in Smith's own car, which was later recovered by authorities.
The sheer brutality of the attack, with Smith sustaining numerous stab wounds to his face and chest, led investigators to describe it as 'overkill,' a level of violence often associated with crimes of passion. The case also raised concerns within the city's gay and lesbian community, as Smith was a gay man, and police have not discounted the possibility that his murder was a hate crime.
Investigators have considered the theory of a 'pickup murder,' suggesting Smith may have been with another man that night. Despite the public outcry and the passage of time, the case remains unsolved and is currently in the hands of the Metropolitan Police Department's Cold Case Unit.
Nathaddeus Smith was a graduate of Banneker High School and held a degree in accounting from Strayer College. He was employed as a civilian clerk for the U.S. Army and had been transferred to Montgomery, Alabama, about six months prior to his death. He had returned to his hometown of Washington, D.C., just days before the attack to visit his mother and siblings. On the night he was killed, he had reportedly visited a friend in Maryland and met with another friend in the Adams Morgan neighborhood. No arrests have ever been made in connection with his murder, and the Metropolitan Police Department continues to offer a reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible.
