This email arrives only when there are cancellations or delays in the area. He went upstairs, and 10 to 15 minutes later, he ran back down into the basement, reloaded his weapon and took up his previous position in the obscured chair. The path of this gunshot, Mills said was beyond the left eye, it went through the soft tissue of the face, the bony ridge of the left eye and into the internal bony structure of the face. But Mr Anderson insisted, If the law enforcement had done their job then two kids wouldnt be dead today. Or might they simply have understood more clearly how a man whose life had been devoted to civic duty, service and protecting others unraveled so catastrophically and irreversibly? He had only reported one previous burglary to police, and investigators only found evidence of two previous burglaries (one of which occurred in his detached garage and of which he appeared to have no knowledge when it was brought up by police). A photo depicted the exit wound of this gunshot on Bradys right side. This account has been disabled. He didnt tell my wife Georgia and I about this at the time but later he said he knew that someone had been in his house. Perhaps it was this callous dismissal that allowed the same man who had fed them, allowed them into his home and paid them for labor just the year before, to pull the trigger so many times on intruders, he no longer saw as kids but as druggies and vermin and not human. Morrison County Sheriff Michel Wetzel said Smith . Yet whatever they and their friends did however much trouble they were looking for or causing, surely never once imagining just how dark a turn that would take Nick Brady and Haile Kifer were, at the heart of it, just that: kids. Lying in Wait The Killings of Haile Kifer and Nicholas Brady 29,585 views Feb 2, 2017 341 Dislike Share Save True Crime Brewery 40.5K subscribers On Thanksgiving day 2012, two teens were shot. Bradys head showed what she called pseudo-stippling, abnormal injuries you get with shrapnel, she said, likely from the bones in his hands. Only last week he had enjoyed the support of many in the community of 8,300 in a state where the homeowners right to defend himself is enshrined in law. Whistleblower Claims Unauthorized Personnel Have Been Leering at Philip Seymour Hoffman Autopsy Photos. She enjoyed wrestling from kindergarten thru fifth grade and then kept stats for the wrestling team, was involved in gymnastics, diving, softball and cross country. Nicholas Brady, 17, and his cousin, Haile Kifer, 18, were killed in the Little Falls home of Byron Smith, who has since been charged with murder. Meshbesher asked whether a person who had sustained the first two of the gunshot wounds would have still been able to move. Thats possible, but six shots were fired, said Mills, adding that Kifer sustained six gunshot wounds. First gun residue was collected. She said in this instance, it appeared as though the barrel was from up against the skin to within six inches. She said she found it hard to see on the black material of the hood. ). Mills said gun residue was visible on the glove. On his retirement in 2009 Smith had cashed his check to cash and stored the money in a drawer in his house. Smith admitted shooting Brady and Haile Kifer, 18, that Thanksgiving Day after they entered his rural Little Falls home without permission. In other testimony Thursday, April 24, Smiths neighbor William Anderson was questioned about a visit he had with Smith the morning of Nov. 22, 2012. According to Mr Anderson, with each passing day after that 27 October break-in Smith became more and more on edge. Horrifying details suggested a far more sinister scene in which Smith lay in wait before gunning down the teens with such callous violence that even some of the officers investigating the case remarked that the killings resembled executions. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Once home he would take daytrips to Minneapolis and return with tools, antiques, clothesan endless list to add to his cornucopia. Mills said she recovered a bullet from his brain. Smith had come in to have his own fingerprints taken. Signup today! "[21], Following his conviction and sentence of life imprisonment, Smith appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. or don't show this againI am good at figuring things out. Thats what he was living with and under. The bullet passed through his hand went through his head and skull and into his brain. Another gunshot behind Kifers left ear, showed a dark flaky material, which Mills said was actual charring of the skin, but no soot or stippling. Try again later. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. This memorial has been copied to your clipboard. He then turned on an audio recorder and lay in wait in a chair between two bookcases in the basement, armed with a rifle, a pistol, and with a tarp ready. This photo was not uploaded because you have already uploaded 15 photos to this memorial. I think Ive solved the break-ins, he said. An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Anderson said: 'Doors were kicked and windows smashed. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. cemeteries found within miles of your location will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Vis. Controversy: The case has split the small community of 8,300 and made headlines across the country over the limits of homeowners to defend their property. It was fired at close range from the 22 caliber revolver. The trajectory of that shot she described as from front to back, and went straight, not upward or downward in his head. Mills was not able to determine how the marijuana metabolite was ingested or how recently. He was immediately sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. [24] The federal district court denied relief, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed. 16 Rare Photos of Princess Diana. Kifer and Brady were part of that group as were close friends of theirs subsequently called in front of the Grand Jury. Byron David Smith, 64, is charged with. Prosecution rests after jury sees graphic autopsy photos and on fourth day of Smith murder trial By Terry Lehrke Apr 24, 2014 0 1 of 3 Haile Kifer Nick Brady Barb Byron Smith The state rested its case late Thursday, after testimony by several witnesses, including Dr. Kelly Mills, medical examiner with the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office. Its made all this deeply shocking.. Good Housekeeping. [6], Smith claimed at trial that prior to the murders he had been burgled at least half a dozen times over the preceding few months. Your Scrapbook is currently empty. Signup today! 17-year-old Nick Brady and 18-year-old Haile Kifer did break in. Exactly 6 years ago, on November 22, 2012, Byron David Smith, 64, armed with a Ruger Mini-14, shot Nicholas Brady, 17 and his cousin Haile Kifer, 18. Success! Resend Activation Email, Please check the I'm not a robot checkbox, If you want to be a Photo Volunteer you must enter a ZIP Code or select your location on the map. Audio and video of the events were recorded by Smith's security system. The Ramsey County Medical Examiner testified that Kifer was shot six times and Brady three, and gave his opinion concerning which of the shots were fatal. But they got the lay of the house that summer.. Between 1969 and 1972 he served in the Air Force working on B 52 bombers and became a nine-times decorated officer who completed a tour of Vietnam. Blaine/Spring Lake Park/Columbia Heights/Fridley Life, Mille Lacs Messenger/Aitkin Independent Age, County employees honored for years of service, UPDATED: Name of Little Falls woman killed in crash released, Little Falls address issue of late utility payments, Knitting the gift of love, one hat at a time. Mills testified that Kifer had been shot near her left eye, behind her left ear, on her neck under the chin, in the abdomen, her right hand and her left forearm, the latter bullet also going into . Finally, he went to the police. She pointed out blood on his face and on the left side of his neck. On November 22 (Thanksgiving Day), 2012, Haile Kifer, 18, and her cousin, Nicholas Brady, 17, broke into the home of Byron David Smith in Little Falls, Minnesota. Kifer was heard making sounds on the audio recording. Share with Us. Across that summer, Smith later told Mr Anderson, his home was broken into at least 11 times. Video surveillance captured the teens casing the property prior to the break-in. Minnesota Man Charged With First-Degree Murder For Shooting Burglar Teens Via NYDailyNews The bugged home of a Minnesota man recorded the chilling moments he encountered two teen burglars inside his house and appeared to take pleasure in shooting them dead. Haile Elaine Kifer. Failed to report flower. Are you sure that you want to report this flower to administrators as offensive or abusive? Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. racist or sexually-oriented language. A fourth gunshot wound, with stippling, was found on the front left of Kifers abdomen. She pointed out the gunpowder stippling on his hand. cemeteries found in Todd County, Minnesota, USA will be saved to your photo volunteer list. Becoming a Find a Grave member is fast, easy and FREE. [4] The audio recordings were named by the jurors as the biggest influence on their decision. Smith is charged with two counts of first-degree . Signup today! There was an error processing your request. The bullet making this wound was not recovered in Kifers body. But when Byron went to them they did nothing. Brent Matzke, a BCA forensic scientist, provided information on DNA collected from items taken from the crime scene. Left to cherish her memory are her parents, Jay & Jenny Kifer of Little Falls, MN; brother, Dillon Kifer of Little Falls, MN; grandparents, Jerry Kifer of Little Falls, MN, Elaine Kifer of Hughes Springs, TX, Alfred & Barb Brady of Little Falls, MN; great grandparents, John "Jack" & Joan Saehr of Little Falls, MN, and many aunts, uncles, cousins and other relatives and friends.Suicide by crime. Thanks for your help! The outhouse on his land was crammed with the fruits of his eccentric world shopping. Could they have been? asked Meshbesher. This is a carousel with slides. Other marks on Kifers body Mills was asked about included 66 cut marks on her arms. So on Thanksgiving Day, he parked his truck around the corner so the house would appear to be deserted. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Are you adding a grave photo that will fulfill this request? In damning audio recordings Smith addressed the dying Kifer, as b*** and referred to the teens as vermin'. Luberts said he had determined someone had kicked in the panel and reached in and unlocked the door. The large exit wound on Bradys palm, she said, was typical of a high velocity gun. By Todd Melby LITTLE FALLS, Minnesota (Reuters) - A Minnesota man whose killing of two teenagers who broke into his home was captured on an audio recording he made was convicted of first-degree premeditated murder and sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday. Things had been searched through. Oops, something didn't work. He questioned Mills about determining whether a wound would have been fatal or non-fatal, whether a wound would incapacitate or fatally wound a person, and if it could be determined where on the stairs the person was when a certain shot was fired. A third gunshot entry wound was shown on the back of Bradys left shoulder near his armpit. Then Lodge Chief Alex Baumgartner recalled: He was incredibly knowledgeable and contributed so much. There is that possibility, said Mills. [17] Smith was initially charged with two counts of second-degree murder; however, in April 2013, he was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder. It creates a deposit like soot from fires, a black powdery material. based on information from your browser. After all and as vehement as Mr Anderson is in his defense of his friend, he struggles to speak to the brutal detail of the morning of 22 November. Jurors saw autopsy results on the bodies of 18-year-old Haile Kifer and 17-year-old Nick Brady, including graphic pictures of their wounds. And it was that prior relationship that sparked the fatal sequence of events when it went sour five months earlier in the summer of 2012. at funeral home 4-8 p.m. Fri. Nov. 30 & 1 hour prior to Services: 10 a.m. Drag images here or select from your computer for Haile Elaine Kifer memorial. They were what ultimately damned him in the eyes of the law and the public. He told me that that way, if something happened to him, at least there would be that recording and we would know what it was.. Then said to him, Youre dead., Within 18 seconds he had the tarp ready to lay out and roll the body onto. The previous day, 27 October 2012, Smiths home had been burgled. Your account has been locked for 30 minutes due to too many failed sign in attempts. [19], On April 21, 2014, Smith's jury trial commenced in Morrison County. [22] On March 9, 2016, the Minnesota Supreme Court affirmed Smith's conviction and sentence. Meshbesher asked whether it was possible that Mr. Smith heard a post mortem sound when he told law enforcement he heard noise from Kifer after the fifth shot. The BCA report of the processing of the hood showed positive for gunshot residue. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. There is little dispute that the two teens, Nicholas Brady, 17, and Haile Kifer, 18, broke in the Minnesota home of Byron Smith, 64, on Thanksgiving Day. By this stage he would only allow Mr Anderson into his home if he used a coded ring and knock the men had devised between them. [10] He repeatedly called her derogatory names and then dragged her into the other room, tossing her body on top of her cousin's, and shot her one final time under the chin, murdering her. To add a flower, click the Leave a Flower button. Meshbesher asked whether the drug could cause hallucinations and Mills said yes, in chronic abusers. It was just a glinted reflection from the nearby highway but Mr Anderson admitted to feeling a ripple of concern for his friends state of mind. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism "[29], According to another state statute: "In criminal trials, the court shall decide questions of law, except in cases of criminal defamation, and the jury shall decide questions of fact.