Eric Smith was imprisoned for 28 years for the murder of a 4-year-old boy named Derrick Robe in 1993. In February, he was released from prison.
Derrick Robe was a 4-year-old boy from the Village of Savona in central Steuben County who lived just off state Route 17. (now Interstate 86). Dale and Doreen Robie, his parents, still live in the area.
Eric Smith, now 42, was only 13 years old when Derrick died and also lived in Savona.
The murder of Derrick Robie, as well as Eric Smith’s subsequent trial and conviction, made national headlines.
Derrick Robie Murder Case Update
On Aug. 2, 1993, Derrick Robie was walking from his home to a nearby park in Savona, where he planned to participate in a recreation program.
Smith stopped him on the way and lured him into a secluded area, where he beat, strangled, and sexually abused him.
Because of Savona’s proximity to a major highway, there was initially widespread speculation that Derrick had been murdered by some faceless drifter passing through town.
A week after Derrick’s body was discovered, sparking an intense manhunt for his killer, Smith admitted his involvement to family members.
Eric told the Parole Board that he was filled with rage as a result of emotional and physical abuse at home and bullying at school.
He said he was already in a bad mood on the day Derrick was killed when he rode his bicycle to an outside recreation program in the Village of Savona, only to discover it wasn’t open yet.
Smith said he was irritated even more than usual by the situation when he saw Derrick walking and immediately decided to take his rage out on the younger boy.
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Where Is Eric Smith Now?
In 1994, Eric Smith was tried as an adult in Steuben County Court and convicted of second-degree murder.
He was sentenced to nine years to life in prison and was kept in a juvenile facility until 2001, when he was transferred to state prison, primarily the Woodbourne Correctional Facility. The following year, he became eligible for parole for the first time.
Smith was denied parole ten times before being granted release in October 2021 after a hearing before the Board of Parole.
The board also noted that Smith had only been cited for three disciplinary issues during his confinement, the most recent of which occurred in 2005.
Smith also told the board that he learned a lot during his time in prison, including how to control his anger and value human life.
As per the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision, Smith was released from Woodbourne Correctional Facility in February and planned to relocate to Queens County.
Smith informed the Parole Board that he is engaged to be married to a woman who first contacted him while studying to be a lawyer and conducting research on the juvenile justice system.