August 2, 1993
Savona, New York
Eric Smith (13) murders and rapes 4-year-old Derrick Robie
Smith and Robie were both headed to the same day camp at a local park when Smith lured Robie into the woods. Once in a secluded area, Smith strangled Robie, crushed his head with a rock, stripped him, and raped him with a tree branch, allegedly to ensure death. When he confessed to the murder, he claimed he murdered Robie in a fit of rage, stating he had been bullied at school as well as by his father and older sister.
Smith was convicted of second degree murder in 1994 and sentenced to the maximum penalty available for a juvenile offender: a minimum of 9 years to life in prison. Since 2002, he has been denied parole 9 times. His next parole hearing will be in 2020.
