Virginia police confirmed on Tuesday that skeletal remains discovered last month are a New York man who vanished in October.
Spotsylvania County police detective Earle Swift told WPIX that the decomposed remains of Terrence Smith, 33, were found in Fredericksburg on November 16. Smith reportedly took an Amtrak to visit a female friend in Virginia whose home is not far from where his remains were located.
According to WPIX, Smith’s bank account was emptied within days of arriving in Fredericksburg. Smith’s sister-in-law alleged that the friend provided three different stories regarding Smith’s whereabouts — including that he took a train back home.
Smith was reportedly last seen at a Target in the city as he bought toilet paper for his friend and children. WPIX reported that the friend has since been evicted from her home.
Smith’s cause of death is currently undetermined. WPIX reported that police in Virginia questioned the friend Smith was seeing and other acquaintances shortly after his disappearance. The case remains under investigation.
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[Featured image: Terrence Smith/WPIX video screengrab]
