FACT
Byron Smith feared for his life as each burglary became more violent and the fear that he would be killed by his own guns intensified.
The Lead Up
01 - Timeline of events leading up to the incident.
In early June 2012, Nick Brady and Cody Kasper drove Brady’s red car up to Smith garage looking for work. Their friend, Colt Litzau, said they also made “other visits” but didn’t find Smith in the house.
02
Starting in June of 2012, Smith was hearing his door bell ring between midnight and 2:00 a.m. about once a week. No one was there.
03
During the first week of July $3,200 in cash was stolen. Byron thought he may have misplaced, but doubted that. Because of that and impossibility of recovery, the law was not notified at that time.
04
August – September 2012: Suffering from a rash of “misplaced/missing” items. Later considered to be stolen. Went to annual Scout weekend where friends noticed him nervous and withdrawn, but said nothing.
05
In September Smith’s doorbell would ring in the middle of the night about 2x/week, but no one was ever there.
06
Mid-September – regional Scout meeting, first one missed in four years. He couldn’t leave home for fear of burglars.
07
Approximately around September 10, noticed two missing guns. The paranoia began, afraid to leave house, afraid to leave tools on work bench. Began compulsive use of dead bolts, locking vehicles in own garage, hiding valuables in own home. Went to WalMart to purchase replacement rifle and Iron Hills Pawn to replace shot gun.
08
In early October, he reversed the doorbell tone to verify that it wasn’t a dream. The doorbell rang again several times in reverse, which verified he was not dreaming and hearing things, but no one could ever be seen.
09
Weekend of October 14th – out-of-town, burglary occurred with theft of misc. items and copper wire and a $1,200 Stihl chainsaw. Cody Kasper admitted in Court there was “too much to carry”, so they hid some things in the pine trees and came back later. The rash of “misplaced” items had become an epidemic and desperate frustration set in. By compulsively locking everything, Smith felt somewhat safe. That changed on October 27, 2012 with a violent breakin. A dead-bolted door to the basement was kicked in to gain entry. $32,000 worth of pure gold coins, $6,000 special-order Nikon camera, jewelry, war medals and dad’s Rolex taken.
10
On Monday, October 29, 2012, Smith spent 1 ½ hours in the “ready room” at the sheriff’s office, waiting for Jamie Luberts who was the assigned investigator. Smith brought a door panel in as additional evidence. While waiting Smith discussed at length the break-ins, being afraid and hopeless with the receptionist and deputy. The deputy said “If they really want to get you, they will always find some way in.” After almost two hours, it appeared Luberts was not coming in, so Smith left.
"If they really want to get you, they will always find some way in"
- Sheriff's Deputy
11
Smith suspected the attack was by teens due to the shoe pattern on the door panel (skateboard style) and also heard about the recent vandalism of auto glass in Swanville, an estimated $150,000 in damages. Smith began to worry about his vehicles.
12
The Monday before Thanksgiving, Smith cleaned out a space in the 3-car garage to store his 1969 Nova. Working on only four hours of sleep each night and carrying a pistol for protection.
13
On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Smith cleaned out another stall to store his SUV.
14
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, Smith asked his neighbor, Bill, to assist him in pushing two motorcycles into the same garage. (Motorcycles were being rebuilt, so not running.)
15
On Thanksgiving Smith planned to continue cleaning and sort and put away an entire summer's worth of unfinished projects in the 2-car garage. Since he needed room to work, the pick-up had to be moved outside. But feeling a serious threat of vandalism, plus a four-day weekend for teens, he felt a serious risk to leave anything outside. Smith moved his truck a block and a half in front of a highway patrol’s home where it would be as safe as it could get, expecting to leave it there for the weekend while he worked in the garage.