In the quiet community of Mount Sidney, Virginia, the life of 80-year-old Richard Eugene Orebaugh, a respected Air Force veteran, came to a tragic and violent end. On the evening of August 28, 2014, Orebaugh was at his home when he was shot in the neck during a robbery. Despite the grievous injury that left him paralyzed, he was able to identify his attacker to authorities before he succumbed to his injuries at the University of Virginia Medical Center on August 29, 2014.
The man he
named was Richard Clay Smith, the ex-husband of his own daughter. The investigation revealed a sinister plot born out of a desperate need to fuel a drug addiction. Smith had not acted alone; his sister, Laura L. Williams, and his girlfriend, Andrea C. Mullan, were also implicated in the planning of the robbery. The trio had driven to Orebaugh's residence with the intention of robbing him.
Under the guise of seeking assistance with car trouble, Smith approached his former father-in-law. When his request for money was denied, he shot the elderly man. After the shooting, Smith callously dragged Orebaugh's body and proceeded to steal his wallet and other personal items. He and his accomplices then fled the scene, later trading the stolen belongings for drugs.
The wheels of justice began to turn with Smith's apprehension. He was subsequently charged with capital murder and robbery. To avoid a potential death sentence, Smith accepted a plea agreement, resulting in two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole. His accomplices also faced legal repercussions for their roles in the heinous crime. Laura L. Williams eventually turned herself in to the authorities, while Andrea C. Mullan was arrested at a later time.
