Former KY judge Raymond Smith, 51, shoots ex-lover, 21, and kills her brother and dad before turning the gun on himself

Aug 14, 2013 - 16:13
Aug 14, 2013 - 16:21
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Former KY judge Raymond Smith, 51, shoots ex-lover, 21, and kills her brother and dad before turning the gun on himself
Gunman: Raymond Curtis Smith, 51, was a former elected official in Knox County - but had a troubled term

A former Kentucky official has shot his much younger ex-lover and killed her father and brother in their home before shooting himself dead at his own father's graveside.

Raymond Curtis Smith, 51, a former Knox County judge executive who later served time in federal prison for fraud, shot and wounded 21-year-old Robin Smith in the bedroom of her Pineville, Kentucky home on Tuesday moing, police said.

Trooper Shane Jacobs told CNN that the pair had recently ended a relationship.

Robin's brother, 21-year-old Mychael Dustin Smith, and her father, 50-year-old Michael Smith, were both killed at the home. Each victim had been shot once.

Victims: Michael Smith, left, and his son Dustin, right, were killed and Robin Smith, center, was critically wounded when Robin's former love opened fire on them at their home on Tuesday moing

Victims: Michael Smith, left, and his son Dustin, right, were killed and Robin Smith, center, was critically wounded when Robin's former love opened fire on them at their home on Tuesday moing

Raymond Smith then fled the scene and drove ten miles away to Hammons Fork Cemetery in Fort Lick, where his father is buried, and fatally shot himself beside the grave. His body was found by relatives.

Robin Smith was conscious and speaking when police arrived at her home shortly before 10am and was airlifted to the University of Tennessee Hospital, where she is in critical but stable condition.

Raymond Smith was elected in 2002 and served as judge executive between 2003 and 2007. In the role, he was responsible for overseeing the money and expenses for the county, similar to a chief financial officer. 

But his term was wrought with problems. Throughout a turbulent four years, he argued with the county jailer, closed the jail and divorced his wife.

Close: Robin and her father Michael grin beside other relatives including her sister, left

Close: Robin and her father Michael grin beside other relatives including her sister, left

He also filed for bankruptcy in which a creditor accused him of fraud and and he was charged with assaulting against a bank employee who was trying to repossess items from him.

In yet another twist, he eventually pleaded guilty to mail fraud after audits of his administration questioned millions of dollars in spending, WYMT reported.

In 2008 he admitted his involvement in a scheme to award construction contracts to firms that were managed by his family while he was in office. He was sent to federal prison for two-and-a-half years.

Before he started his prison term in 2008, he told WYMT in 2008 that his intentions had been good.

'I've tried to help a lot of people,' he said. 'Nobody is worse off for knowing me and I think I stood up for the right thing and I'm sorry that didn't work.'

His friend, coroner Mike Blevins, was responsible for pronouncing him dead at the Knox County Hospital on Tuesday.

'Very surprising,' Blevins said of the death.

He added that he had seen Smith recently: 'He seemed to be in good humor when you saw him in the street. Just very shocking.'

Another friend, County Clerk Mike Corey, added: 'My heart goes out to all the families involved in this. It's a great tragedy for this area.'

Neighbor Dalton Hughett, 20, told WATE that Robin Smith 'was good in school, a cheerleader. She's just an all around good girl'.

'I didn't go to school with her but we have hung out with her several times. To know the things she's gone through, and she's my age, I just can't believe it,' he said.

The family of Robin, Dustin and Michael Smith expressed their grief on Facebook on Tuesday, sharing photos of the family in happy times.

 

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Mike Gallagher Freelance writer with a passion for travelling