Eric Smith (murderer)
The story of Eric Smith is a harrowing chapter in American criminal history, a case that shocked a nation with the unimaginable brutality of a child against another child. In 1993, 13-year-old Eric Smith murdered 4-year-old Derrick Robie, an act that would forever embed his name in infamy and ignite fervent debates about juvenile justice. This is the somber account of the crime, the trial, and the decades-long incarceration that followed. A 13-year-old Eric Smith committed a brutal murder of a 4-year-old, a crime that stunned the nation. Smith became the youngest person in New York state to be tried as an adult for murder, sparking extensive debate and psychological evaluation. After 27 years and ten denied attempts, Eric Smith was granted parole, bringing a complex conclusion to a deeply disturbing case.
AI Summary
The story of Eric Smith is a harrowing chapter in American criminal history, a case that shocked a nation with the unimaginable brutality of a child against another child. In 1993, 13-year-old Eric Smith murdered 4-year-old Derrick Robie, an act that would forever embed his name in infamy and ignite fervent debates about juvenile justice. This is the somber account of the crime, the trial, and the decades-long incarceration that followed.
- A 13-year-old Eric Smith committed a brutal murder of a 4-year-old, a crime that stunned the nation.
- Smith became the youngest person in New York state to be tried as an adult for murder, sparking extensive debate and psychological evaluation.
- After 27 years and ten denied attempts, Eric Smith was granted parole, bringing a complex conclusion to a deeply disturbing case.
The Tragic Day
It was August 2, 1993, a seemingly ordinary summer day in Savona, New York. Thirteen-year-old Eric Smith was on his bike, heading to a local day camp. On the same path, a much younger boy, four-year-old Derrick Robie, walked alone to the very same camp.
Their paths crossed in a moment that would change countless lives. Eric Smith saw Derrick, and in a chilling act, lured the small child away from the safety of the main road and into a nearby wooded area. What happened next was horrific.
Hidden from view, Smith strangled Derrick until he lost consciousness, then delivered a fatal blow with a large rock to his head. The cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma and asphyxia. In a bizarre and disturbing detail, Smith poured Kool-Aid from Derrick's lunchbox into the child's wounds.
Around 11:00 a.m., Derrick's mother arrived at the park to pick up her son, only to discover he had never arrived. After four agonizing hours of searching and investigation, Derrick Robie's small body was found, and a community's worst fears were realized.
The Confession
Six days later, on August 8, 1993, the truth began to emerge. Eric Smith confessed to his mother that he was the one who had killed Derrick Robie. Later that evening, the Smith family, grappling with the unthinkable, informed law enforcement.
A Nation Watched
The murder case quickly seized national headlines, captivating and horrifying the United States. The sheer youth of both the perpetrator, 13, and his victim, 4, made the crime particularly shocking and difficult to comprehend.
In an unprecedented move for New York state history, Eric Smith was tried as an adult, becoming the youngest murder defendant ever to face such proceedings. Specialists from both defense and prosecution exhaustively examined his brain function and hormone levels, desperately searching for any physiological explanation for his violent behavior. None was found.
Court documents revealed a portrait of Smith as a lonely child, frequently tormented by bullies due to his physical appearance — his prominent ears, thick glasses, red hair, and freckles. During the trial, a defense psychiatrist diagnosed him with intermittent explosive disorder, a condition characterized by sudden outbursts of anger.
However, the prosecution's expert countered, stating that this disorder was rarely seen at Smith's young age. Instead, he was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and depression. These diagnoses painted a picture of a troubled young mind, but offered little in the way of a definitive answer for his horrific actions.
Conviction and Sentencing
On August 16, 1994, Eric Smith was convicted of second-degree murder. Just a few months later, on November 7, 1994, he received the maximum sentence available for a juvenile murderer at that time: a minimum of nine years to life in prison.
Behind Bars
Smith's journey through the correctional system began at Brookwood Secure Center, a maximum-security facility for juvenile inmates. After three years there, he was transferred to a prison for young adults, marking the start of a decades-long incarceration.
Over the years, Smith was moved between various facilities, from the maximum-security Clinton Correctional Facility to several medium-security prisons like Collins, Gowanda, and Woodbourne. Each transfer reflected a different phase of his sentence and a new chapter in his confinement.
The Long Road to Parole
From June 2002 to January 2020, Eric Smith faced the parole board ten times, and ten times his request for release was denied. Public safety concerns were frequently cited, as was the unwavering opposition of Derrick Robie's grieving parents.
In a 2012 hearing, Smith told the parole board he had no intention of returning to Savona if released, preferring a shelter or halfway house. Yet, the board remained unconvinced, underscoring the profound impact of his crime on the community and the enduring fear it instilled.
Parole Granted and Release
Finally, in October 2021, after 27 years in prison, Eric Smith was granted parole. During this pivotal hearing, he revealed he had been engaged to a lawyer since 2019, a detail that surprised many and offered a glimpse into his life behind bars.
Though initially scheduled for release in November 2021, a delay occurred as an approved residence needed to be secured. He was ultimately released from prison on February 1, 2022, stepping out as a free man after nearly three decades. On April 16, 2025, Smith was officially discharged from parole supervision, marking the full completion of his sentence.
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Eric Smith (murderer)
Eric M. Smith (born January 22, 1980) is an American murderer who, at the age of thirteen, sexually abused and murdered four-year-old Derrick Joseph Robie (October 2, 1988 – August 2, 1993), in Savona, New York, on August 2, 1993. Smith was convicted of second-degree murder on August 16, 1994 and sentenced to the maximum term then available for juvenile murderers: nine years to life in prison. Smith was granted parole in October 2021, after 27 years in prison. He was officially released from prison on February 1, 2022.
Murder
Eric Smith (murderer)
On August 2, 1993, when Eric Smith was thirteen years old, he was riding his bike to summer camp in a local park day camp. Four-year-old Derrick Robie was walking alone to that same camp. Smith saw Robie and lured him into a nearby wooded area. There, Smith strangled him until he passed out, then, he dropped a large rock on his head, and sodomized him with a small stick. Smith then took Kool-Aid from Robie's lunch box and poured it into Robie's open wounds. The cause of death was determined to be blunt trauma to the head with contributing asphyxia. At around 11:00 a.m., Robie's mother went to the park to pick up her son, only to find that Robie had never arrived. After four hours of investigation, Robie's body was found.
On August 8, six days after the incident, Smith confessed to his mother that he killed Robie. The Smith family informed law enforcement later that night.
The murder case made national headlines in the United States, largely because of the ages of the killer (13) and his victim (4).
Smith was tried as an adult, making him the youngest murder defendant tried as an adult in New York state history. He was subjected to extensive medical testing from specialists on both sides. They examined brain function, hormone levels and found nothing to explain his violent behavior. According to court documents, Smith was a loner who was often tormented by bullies for his protruding low-set ears, thick glasses, red hair and freckles.
A defense psychiatrist testified to diagnosing Smith with intermittent explosive disorder. However, the prosecution's expert said the disorder was rarely seen at Smith's age. He was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder instead. He was also diagnosed with depression.
Conviction and incarceration
Eric Smith (murderer)
On August 16, 1994, Smith was convicted of second-degree murder. Three months later, on November 7, he was sentenced to the maximum term then available for juvenile murderers: a minimum of nine years to life in prison.
Smith was held at Brookwood Secure Center in Claverack, New York, a maximum security prison for juvenile inmates aged 13–17, for three years, and he was then transferred to an open prison for young adults. In 2001, he was transferred to the Clinton Correctional Facility in Dannemora, New York, a maximum security prison. On May 3, 2016, the NYS Department of Corrections website showed him incarcerated at Collins Correctional Facility, a medium security prison for male inmates in Erie County, New York. On April 26, 2019, he was listed as incarcerated at Gowanda Correctional Facility, a medium security prison which is co-located with Collins Correctional Facility. On November 30, 2019, he was listed as incarcerated at the Woodbourne Correctional Facility, a medium security prison in Sullivan County.
Smith was denied parole ten times from June 2002 to January 2020. After the 2012 hearing, the parole board cited a concern for public safety in its decision, in addition to the opposition of Robie's parents to his release. At that hearing, he told a parole board he would not return to Savona if released, and would go to a shelter or halfway house instead.
In October 2021, Smith was granted parole after 27 years of incarceration. In that parole hearing, he revealed that he had been engaged to a lawyer since 2019. He was scheduled to be released on November 17, 2021, but this was delayed due to Smith not having an approved residence. He was ultimately released from prison on February 1, 2022. On April 16, 2025, Smith was discharged from parole supervision.