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Mother breaks into residence in North Canton, finds body in bathroom. Traces of fire in kitchen
By Bill Lilley
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Tuesday, Oct 07, 2008
NORTH CANTON: The mother of a North Canton man whose body was found in his mobile home Saturday night said she had hoped that her son was just sleeping soundly when he failed to answer his phone or respond to knocks on his door.
But Judy Smith's worst fears — and then some — were realized when the increasingly desperate mother and a neighbor from Hartville broke into her son's residence and found his body in the bathroom.
Judy Smith said Monday that she could not be positive it was her son, 34-year-old Brett W. Smith, because he had been decapitated.
She said she called 9-1-1 on her cell phone shortly after 7 p.m.
On the tape of the call, Judy Smith told Stark County dispatchers:
''I think my son has been killed. . . . We just broke in and it looks like he's in the bathroom but his head is missing . . . It looks like his legs.''
Stark County coroner's spokesman Rick Walters said the body was identified as Brett Smith — a 1993 Lake High School graduate — through tattoos.
But citing the ongoing homicide investigation, neither Walters nor North Canton Police Chief Michael A. Grimes would confirm that Smith had been decapitated.
''I don't know what happened,'' Judy Smith said Monday. ''I had been concerned because he was supposed to have a play day with my granddaughter at noon Saturday and he didn't answer the door when we got there.
''I went back at 2:30 and 5 and he still didn't answer. He's been on a lot of medication and
I was hoping that he was just sleeping through everything.''
Smith said she called the North Canton police asking for help, but was told they couldn't do anything unless there was ''good reason to break in.''
''I went back home and got a neighbor who had done some work with Brett and he's pretty handy,'' Smith said. ''I still was hopeful that we would get there and Brett would say: 'Why did you break the window to check on me?'
''But we got in and when we went to the bathroom I found him. It's like a terrible dream for a mother.''
The autopsy was postponed until today, Walters said.
A kitchen fire that had burned out also is being investigated, Walters said.
North Canton police, the coroner's office and Canton Stark County Crime Lab are investigating.
>>Listen to the 911 call (MP3 format)
Bill Lilley can be reached at 330-996-3811 or blilley@thebeaconjournal.com.
NORTH CANTON: The mother of a North Canton man whose body was found in his mobile home Saturday night said she had hoped that her son was just sleeping soundly when he failed to answer his phone or respond to knocks on his door.
Get the full article here.
Comments
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Akron, OH
Posted 09:07 AM, 10/07/2008
Doesn't the mother seem to be pretty calm considering she just found her son with his head cut off? I'd be screaming and barfing.
Akron, Oh
Posted 09:23 AM, 10/07/2008
wow ...sounds like a movie or something!! Cant wait to get more details on this one.
Boston Hts, Oh
Posted 09:39 AM, 10/07/2008
Chaos,I thought the same thing,I'd be out of control!!
Akron, OH
Posted 10:12 AM, 10/07/2008
In such an unfortunate instance, I suppose tats serve a useful purpose. Chief Grimes is demanding answers, "or heads will roll!"
Posted 10:41 AM, 10/07/2008
James, that was sick! But it did make me laugh.
I can't imagine finding a son or daughter like that. I'd certainly be a basket case.
Posted 10:44 AM, 10/07/2008
Everyone reacts differently, especially when they go into shock. I doubt she was all that calm. Did they ever find this man's head?
Posted 11:12 AM, 10/07/2008
how aweful for that mother``i wonder if they
found his head???
Posted 11:47 AM, 10/07/2008
What a horrible thing for a mother to find. I hope she is going to be alright. I was reading today that some geneticist was saying that evolution of humans has come to an end and the first thing i thought was omg help us all if in this day and time this is as good as humans are going to get.
akron, oh
Posted 12:00 PM, 10/07/2008
at least bobby cutts didn't do it
Posted 12:02 PM, 10/07/2008
What the heck is going on here? I think there are almost too many blanks to even write this story yet.
south of Akron, NO
Posted 12:08 PM, 10/07/2008
evolution of humans came to an end when God created us thousands of years ago, G....
Posted 12:34 PM, 10/07/2008
Read the Canton Rep-the head was found in the trailer and the police got a search warrent for another trailer-this poor man was having problems with another resident of the trailer park, so it looks like they have an idea who was involved. They are not going to release all the details yet. I thought the story was pretty clear, so I don't know why the above poster couldn't figure it out. Man was murdered, was decaptitated, Mom hadn't heard from son, went to check, found body-seems pretty clear to me.
Posted 12:51 PM, 10/07/2008
HA HA marge, real flippin funny. (text heavy with sarcasm) ignorant woman!
Posted 12:56 PM, 10/07/2008
Some of these comments are sick. This poor mom finds her son murdered in an evil and horrific way and people are questioning HER actions...that she wasn't upset enough??!! It's difficult enough to lose a child but to find your child so brutally murdered is awful. I think people need to have a little more sensitivity towards this whole situation.
Fort Jennings, Oh
Posted 01:49 PM, 10/07/2008
Marge, go play in traffic, that should keep you busy for awhile! Such a tragic story and yet you can not help but wonder how this mother was able to even speak, let alone sound so calm.
akron, oh
Posted 02:30 PM, 10/07/2008
The mother also said "I think my son has been killed." I'm no doctor - but if you head is missing it aint suicide.
Cleveland, OH
Posted 04:44 PM, 10/07/2008
IMHO, it sounds like the mother is or was going into shock over the whole thing. Where you can't believe what you just saw and your mind is telling you otherwise. Plus, I'm sure you don't think going to your son's trailer, you are going to find him in the bathroom dead.
I feel very bad for this woman and her family. Horrible!!
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=434913&r=0&Category=9&subCategoryID=0
(video w/ neighbor interview)
**Also, appears to be paint spilled in the trailer and a fire in the kitchen that burned out. Could that be a "cover up" by the murderer??
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=434799&r=0&Category=9&subCategoryID=0
Posted 06:34 PM, 10/07/2008
they found the head in another part of the trailer.
Tallmadge, Oh
Posted 06:54 PM, 10/07/2008
Drew: You are a real sicko.
Tallmadge, Oh
Posted 07:01 PM, 10/07/2008
Jerri, that was funny. But all of these comments are just horrible, and right before the Holiday Season.
Posted 09:30 PM, 10/07/2008
i thought the 911 opperator sounded rude.
Posted 07:53 AM, 10/08/2008
Wow-what a calm sounding mother considering she just found her son not only dead but decapitated. And the 911 operator, she sounded as though she had never heard a call like that before.
Posted 11:06 AM, 10/08/2008
Well I don't imagine the 911 operator has taken a call like that before. It's not like the place is lousy with headless bodies.
I thought the mother did sound really calm as if he'd lost a finger instead of his head.
Sad, weird story.
Posted 02:39 PM, 10/08/2008
she says she thinks he's dead. when his head is obviously cut off and its his house. wow, lol.
and i agree, she did seem calm. id be balling my eyes out if i was her.
Tallmadge, Oh
Posted 06:49 PM, 10/08/2008
Maybe the mother is confused, and in shock. But she sounds WAY to calm to stumble onto her son's headless body.
Posted 08:29 PM, 10/08/2008
To Colleen: You doubt she was all that calm??? Replay it and listen to when the officer asks What? the mother 'CHUCKLES' and says "i know it sounds wierd but the head is gone" WHAT???? omg if i founnd my daughter in any sort of horrible situation...I WOULD BE LOST...i wouldn't be calm, i would be into shock having a damn heart attack! wow that woman is either high, or she killed her son and thinks its funny or something
Posted 08:37 PM, 10/08/2008
v
Posted 08:43 PM, 10/08/2008
COLLEN:Everyone reacts differently, especially when they go into shock. I doubt she was all that calm. Did they ever find this man's head?
Collen- Not that calm??? Have you heard the tape? When she explains to the officer what she sees the officer says "What" and the mother responses with a CHUCKLE then says " I know it sounds kindda wierd but its gone, the head is gone." WHAT???? if i ever walked in on my daughter in ANY sort of horrible condition i would be so lost, and speachless, i would have a panic attack and probably a heart attatck, im sorry she is either on some AMAZINGLY strong Downers, or she just killed her son and is just that crazy that she doesn't seem to mind it. CRAZY PEOPLE these days...
Posted 08:43 PM, 10/08/2008
dsfhy
Posted 08:43 PM, 10/08/2008
e
Posted 07:51 AM, 10/09/2008
They may never catch the killer - he got off to a big head start.
akron, oh
Posted 02:43 PM, 10/09/2008
The darndest people live in trailer parks.
Posted 04:03 PM, 10/09/2008
you all are real morons on here.
Posted 05:52 PM, 10/09/2008
i am a family member of brett and i think some of you may be as sick as the jerk who did this. and don't be so quick to judge what you may and may not do in this kind of situation.
Posted 08:52 PM, 10/09/2008
I read these comments and I just can't believe that people would actually say some of these things. It is heartless and cruel! Obviously you don't think of the family members and friends that may read this, as the girl who blogged before me is a famiy member. I am haunted by this story and cannot begin to even imagine the horror that this mom witnessed. You people who have written distasteful comments should be ashamed of yourself. I hope this kind of sorrow never touches your life.
Posted 09:56 PM, 10/09/2008
i cant understanded why people can be that cruel to say this stuff.
akron, oh
Posted 12:44 PM, 10/10/2008
I cannot understand why people in the middle of a horrible situation would read any blog.
Posted 11:16 PM, 10/11/2008
tim, as a grieving family member of Brett's, let me explain. I look up news articles on the web to keep up with the case. The last time I did, I scrolled down to read what I expected to be condolences. Imagine my surprise when I read all manner of ignorant, cruel and even accusatory comments about this wonderful family. Then when I read comments like the obviously well-informed Adriana's that "she's either high or killed her son and thinks it's funny", I am unable to refrain from responding. First of all, the mother was in shock, of course. Also, there was no electricity and the trailer was dark. I'm sure by the time the bungling dispatcher quizzed her 50 times (including asking her to spell the street!?), the mom had started to doubt in her own mind that what she had seen was real. Besides the fact that inappropriate laughter is often a symptom of shock, please refer to the APA literature on the subject. What I don't understand is why people who are NOT in the middle of this horrible situation feel compelled to make judgments and hurtful comments (to the point that this devastated family cannot even answer the phone). I am pleading with you to have compassion and I pray to God that you all never find out for certain what you would do if this happened to you.
Posted 11:42 AM, 10/12/2008
wow my heart is with mom and the family horriblething to find son headless.I think mom went into shock when you hear 911 tape she sound's it t.a.j.(;
Posted 06:48 PM, 10/14/2008
I am sorry for the family of this young man and also for his child that no one else seems to remember, this child may not even have a chance to know her father. Sometimes it is better to be thought a fool than to speak up and remove all doubt. keep that in mind as you post yoour thoughts.
