  susan leigh vaughan smith (born september 26, 1971) is an american who was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her children. born in union, south carolina, and a former student of the university of south carolina union, she was convicted on july 22, 1995 of murdering her two sons, 3-year-old michael daniel smith, born october 10, 1991, and 14-month-old alexander tyler smith, born august 5, 1993.spitz, d.j. (2006): investigation of bodies in water. in: spitz, w.u. & spitz, d.j. (eds): spitz and fisherâs medicolegal investigation of death. guideline for the application of pathology to crime investigations (fourth edition), charles c. thomas, pp.: 846-881; springfield, illinois. the case gained worldwide attention shortly after it developed, due to her claim that a black man carjacked her and kidnapped them. her defense attorneys presented expert testimony that she suffered from mental health issues that impaired her judgment when she committed the crimes. according to the south carolina department of corrections, smith will be eligible for parole on november 4, 2024, after serving a minimum of thirty years. she is incarcerated at south carolina's leath correctional institution, near greenwood."inmate details susan smith." (page archive, image archive) south carolina department of corrections. retrieved on 2007-11-22. ==the case== on october 25, 1994, smith reported to police that she had been carjacked by a black man who drove away with her sons still in the car. for nine days, she made dramatic pleas on national television for the rescue and return of them. however, following an intensive investigation and a nationwide search, on november 
1971_births 20th-century_American_criminals American_female_murderers American_murderers_of_children American_people_convicted_of_murder American_prisoners_sentenced_to_life_imprisonment Criminals_from_South_Carolina Filicides Hoaxes_in_the_United_States Living_people People_convicted_of_murder_by_South_Carolina People_from_Union_County,_South_Carolina People_with_dependent_personality_disorder People_with_mood_disorders Prisoners_sentenced_to_life_imprisonment_by_South_Carolina Racial_hoaxes