On a tragic day in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, the life of Shelley Sorg, a 24-year-old mother, was violently cut short. On March 25, 1998, she and her two young children, Sean Michael Sorg, aged 5, and Taylor Sorg, aged 3, were found murdered. The horrific discovery was made at the residence of Clay King Smith, the ex-boyfriend of Shelley's cousin, 20-year-old Misty Erwin, who was also a victim. A fifth victim, 12-year-old family friend Samantha Rhodes, was also found deceased at the scene.
All five victims had been shot to death with a rifle.
The events that culminated in this mass murder began to unfold just two days prior. On March 23, 1998, Misty Erwin had contacted the police, reporting that Smith had assaulted her and she needed assistance to leave the home. However, when law enforcement arrived, she had a change of heart and decided to stay. This decision would prove to be fatal. Two days later, after family members reported them missing, police discovered the gruesome scene at Smith's residence.
A manhunt for Clay King Smith was immediately launched, and he was apprehended the following day, March 26, 1998, after a tense standoff with authorities near Star City in Lincoln County. Smith had fled to a wooded area near a local hunting club and held police at bay for an hour with the rifle that was later confirmed to be the murder weapon. During the standoff, Smith made chilling statements, including, 'I sent three of them to Heaven, and two to Hell.' The confrontation ended when he was shot in the arm by police after refusing to put down his weapon. He later claimed the murders were drug-induced.
Clay King Smith was charged with five counts of capital murder. He was subsequently convicted and sentenced to death. In the time leading up to his execution, Smith wrote letters to the families of his victims, asking for their forgiveness. On May 8, 2001, Clay King Smith was executed by lethal injection at the Cummins Unit in Lincoln County, Arkansas. His final words were, 'I'd like to say I'm sorry about what I did to the victims' families. I hope your hearts heal. I love my family. I love my family.'
