Smithfield’s Unsolved Murder – 1987
Smithfield Police are still trying to identify this man who was found murdered in June of 1987.
On June 18, 1987, a boater on Stump Pond found the decomposing body of a man floating in the water near the dam. The body was wrapped in chicken wire and had been weighed down with 90 pounds of rocks and barbell weights, yet it had still risen to the surface. Investigation showed he’d been stabbed 21 times; seven times in the head, and fourteen in the chest. The murder weapon is presumed to have been an ice pick. It was estimated he’d been killed two to three weeks earlier.
The man was described as being 5′ 5″ tall, and weighing 122 pounds, and between the ages of 25 and 35 years old. He was wearing a black mussel shirt that had “San Juan” printed on it, with grey sweatpants and size seven-and-a-half McGregor Tristar sneakers. The man was not carrying a wallet or jewelry, and bore no identifying marks such as tattoos or scars.
His fingerprints were not able to be matched with any databases. Modern DNA tracing has not proved helpful.
As of this writing Smithfield Police have exhausted all possible leads and have never been able to identify the man.
A sketch of what the man is believed to have looked like in life was created by an FBI artist.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Smithfield Police at 401-231-2500.
