chester marion smitherman
Funeral services for Mr. Chester
M. Smitherman of Lawley were held Thursday afternoon, December 20th at
2:00 o'clock at the Active Wesleyan Methodist Church. The Rev. W. L.
Averette conducted the funeral. Burial was in Rehobeth Cemetery. Jack
Lee Funeral Directors in charge.
Surviving are his wife, two sons, Eugene of Memphis, Tenn., and Glenn of Atlanta, Ga., a daughter, Mrs. Merle Freeman of Lawley; three brothers, Frank, Morgan and Gordon, all of Law- ley; three sisters, Mrs. Lum Cleveland, of New York; Mrs. Lillian Johnson and Mrs. Laura Anderson, both of Birmingham, and 11 grandchildren.
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The body of Chestler Smitherman, Bibb County Forest Ranger was found Tuesday morning about 9:30 slumped in his truck in a remote section of Bibb County, about four miles from Bibb Tower, near Moffat.
Mr. Smitherman was reported missing about 8:00 Tuedsay morn- ing by his wife and brother, Gordon Smitherman. He failed to come home Monday night.
Mr. H. P. Cottingham, Mrs. Smitherman and Gordon Smitherman and others proceeded to start a search for the missing man, and he was found in his truck on an abandoned forest road near Moffat at 9:30 Tuesday morning by Mr. Cottingham, Mrs. Smitherman and Gordon Smitherman.
All law enforcement officers in Bibb County were immediately notified by Mr. Cottingham, and a full scale investigated was immediately started. State Investigators were called in to help solve this crime.
All evidence pointed to the fact that Smitherman was killed another place and his body dumped into the pick-up truck and hauled to the place where it was found. The keys were not in the truck, but were found in the woods about thirty feet from the truck by Mr. J. B. Farrington.
The preliminary investigation indicated that he had been shot five times with a pistol, but we understand the State Toxicologist reported that he had been shot one time in the back with 00 buckshot, with five shot penetrat- ing his body. Four of the shot lodged in his back, and one hit his head. The report indicated that this shot was made from a disance of about forty feet. He was also shot in the chest with 00 buckshot from a distance of only a few feet, knocking a big hole in his body.
Lt. William R. Jones, Special Investigator for the Department of Public Safety in Tuscaloosa dusted the truck for fingerprints, and secured other evidence. He was assisted by Sgt. W. C. Holman of the Highway Patrol from Tuscaloosa, and members of the Sheriff's force of Bibb County and other law enforcement offi- cers.
Up until Wednesday morning, no definite motive had been established for the murder. A number of rumors are being in- vestigated, and every effort is being made to solve the crime. At two o'clock Wednesday morning officers were questioning different people looking for d motive.
Robbery was being discounted as a motive, because he still had his billfold in his pocket, containing $2.00 and some change, and his pocket watch was in his pocket.
Mr. Smitherman had been assigned to take over the watch of the Bibb Tower Monday, and re- ported in to Mr. H. P. Cotting- ham at 4:00 o'clock Monday afternoon, and no one seems to know anything of his whereabouts since 4:00 o'clock Monday.
This murder appears to be one of the most gruesome crimes ever committed in Bibb County.
Surviving are his wife, two sons, Eugene of Memphis, Tenn., and Glenn of Atlanta, Ga., a daughter, Mrs. Merle Freeman of Lawley; three brothers, Frank, Morgan and Gordon, all of Law- ley; three sisters, Mrs. Lum Cleveland, of New York; Mrs. Lillian Johnson and Mrs. Laura Anderson, both of Birmingham, and 11 grandchildren.
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The body of Chestler Smitherman, Bibb County Forest Ranger was found Tuesday morning about 9:30 slumped in his truck in a remote section of Bibb County, about four miles from Bibb Tower, near Moffat.
Mr. Smitherman was reported missing about 8:00 Tuedsay morn- ing by his wife and brother, Gordon Smitherman. He failed to come home Monday night.
Mr. H. P. Cottingham, Mrs. Smitherman and Gordon Smitherman and others proceeded to start a search for the missing man, and he was found in his truck on an abandoned forest road near Moffat at 9:30 Tuesday morning by Mr. Cottingham, Mrs. Smitherman and Gordon Smitherman.
All law enforcement officers in Bibb County were immediately notified by Mr. Cottingham, and a full scale investigated was immediately started. State Investigators were called in to help solve this crime.
All evidence pointed to the fact that Smitherman was killed another place and his body dumped into the pick-up truck and hauled to the place where it was found. The keys were not in the truck, but were found in the woods about thirty feet from the truck by Mr. J. B. Farrington.
The preliminary investigation indicated that he had been shot five times with a pistol, but we understand the State Toxicologist reported that he had been shot one time in the back with 00 buckshot, with five shot penetrat- ing his body. Four of the shot lodged in his back, and one hit his head. The report indicated that this shot was made from a disance of about forty feet. He was also shot in the chest with 00 buckshot from a distance of only a few feet, knocking a big hole in his body.
Lt. William R. Jones, Special Investigator for the Department of Public Safety in Tuscaloosa dusted the truck for fingerprints, and secured other evidence. He was assisted by Sgt. W. C. Holman of the Highway Patrol from Tuscaloosa, and members of the Sheriff's force of Bibb County and other law enforcement offi- cers.
Up until Wednesday morning, no definite motive had been established for the murder. A number of rumors are being in- vestigated, and every effort is being made to solve the crime. At two o'clock Wednesday morning officers were questioning different people looking for d motive.
Robbery was being discounted as a motive, because he still had his billfold in his pocket, containing $2.00 and some change, and his pocket watch was in his pocket.
Mr. Smitherman had been assigned to take over the watch of the Bibb Tower Monday, and re- ported in to Mr. H. P. Cotting- ham at 4:00 o'clock Monday afternoon, and no one seems to know anything of his whereabouts since 4:00 o'clock Monday.
This murder appears to be one of the most gruesome crimes ever committed in Bibb County.