The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith is a true crime novel with more “twists and turns than fiction.” The four-part documentary series, which is currently available on Amazon Prime, re-examines the heinous murder of a young mother in Canada. It also interviews main suspect Alan Smith and investigates the police case against him.
Everything you need to know is right here…
Beverly Lynn Smith, who was she?
Beverly Lynn Smith lived in a rustic farmhouse in Oshawa, Ontario, an industrial community. Rebecca, her 10-month-old baby, and her husband, Dough Smith, lived with the 22-year-old Canadian. She was a lively, loving, and caring individual who was adored by her neighbours and family.
Beverly, an old soul, enjoyed making jokes with her twin sister Barbra and collecting antiques and sewing. She even made her own wedding gown. The girl-next-door quickly became the central character in Canada’s coldest case in criminal history.
What happened to Beverly Lynn Smith?
On December 9, 1974, Beverly Lynn Smith, 22, was shot in the back of the head in the kitchen of her home. It’s been 50 years since her cold-blooded murder, but the investigation, which had also gone cold by 2007, has left no hope. Her assassination resembled a proper “execution” style.
However, from the night of the murder almost 50 years ago, a man named Alan Smith, who had no relation to Beverly, became the central character in the investigation. A polygraph test result raised suspicions, and he became a central figure in the investigation. Since then, he has denied all allegations.
Alan Dale Smith entered the picture in 2007 after the investigation team received a tip. Beverly’s next-door neighbour lived across the street. Following that, Canada witnessed some of the most unusual policing operations in its history. Smith was acquitted of the crime in 2014 as a result of the operation (his second arrest for the same crime).
The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith
For a year, the murder of Beverly Lynn Smith was actively investigated, but the trail went cold. The case had gone cold by 2007, until a tip was given to the investigation team implicating Alan Smith.
Beverly’s next-door neighbour, Alan Smith (no relation), became a key person of interest and, eventually, the target of a contentious police investigation.
Alan lived across the street, so he had the chance – but did he have a reason? In fact, it was Alan’s wife Linda who discovered Beverly Lynn Smith’s lifeless body at home.
Alan Smith, 56 at the time, was arrested by Durham Regional Police in 2008, more than 30 years after Beverly Lynn Smith was murdered. Over 200 people were interviewed by police across Canada and the United States.
They requested DNA and fingerprint samples from some of those individuals. Alan has been charged with second-degree murder.
Charges were later dropped, only to be reinstated months later in a shocking twist. The murder charge was dropped by the Crown in July 2008, citing a lack of reasonable prospect of conviction.
Alan Smith, a Cobourg resident, was arrested and tried for the murder again in 2014. Smith was acquitted of the crime in 2014 after the sting operation (his second arrest for the same crime).
There was little, if any, physical evidence against Alan Smith, according to the police. The murder was believed to have been committed by a local who Beverly had let into her home. On the night of the murder, no one in the close-knit community reported seeing or hearing anything out of the ordinary. There were no signs of forced entry.
Because of the manner in which she was killed, police believe it was not an unplanned event. Linda, Alan’s ex-wife, changed her story, implicating her former husband. She had insisted for decades that Al was with her until she discovered Bev lying on her kitchen floor.
In 2007, however, she changed her story and accused Al of the murder. She claimed to have seen Alan bury a gun, which was never discovered.
Linda even admitted to the murder and failed a polygraph test. She was eventually charged with obstructing police.
The Amazon Original docu-series delves into the elaborate and contentious sting operation intended to ‘catch’ Alan Smith. In fact, the operation raised new concerns.
The true crime documentary re-examines a four-decade-old cold case murder. The four-part documentary weaves together first-hand accounts and expert interviews, as well as family archives and exclusive access to key participants. While many theories point to Beverly Lynn Smith’s closed ones as well, the documentary is an attempt to answer some questions. However, the case remains unsolved to this day. Beverly’s sisters claim Alan was the one who murdered her. On the other hand, Alan, the sole suspect, claims he never went to her house.