Eric Smith, who was convicted of killing a four-year-old boy in 1993, was released from Woodbourne Correctional Facility on Tuesday, February 1 after serving nearly 28 years. Smith is going to stay with his mother, Tammy Smith, eventually looking to get a house or apartment with his fiancé in Queens County.
During his parole hearing in October 2021, Smith said Derek Robie do not deserve the violence he inflicted upon him, according to WROC. Robie said unresolved anger issues caused his to lash out at the boy.
The murder occurred near a summer camp in Steuben County in 1993. Smith saw four-year-old Derrick Robie walking alone, then lured him into the woods where he strangled the boy and beat him over the head with a rock. He also sexually abused Robie with a stick. Robie’s body was found later that day.
Smith will be on parole. Under the conditions of his parole, he cannot leave New York without permission and has agreed to constant monitoring and check-ins. Smith’s parole was denied 10 times before it was granted in October due to him not having an approved address.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected]