Uploaded December 2019 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Full Length Interrogation of Byron David Smith
The Byron David Smith killings occurred on Thanksgiving Day of 2012, when Haile Kifer, 18, and her cousin, Nicholas Brady, 17, broke into the home of Byron David Smith, 64, in Little Falls, Minnesota, in the United States. Smith, armed with a Ruger Mini-14, shot the teens separately and minutes apart as they entered the basement where he was, later stating to police he was worried about them being armed.
The case sparked debate over the "castle doctrine", which allows a homeowner to defend his home with lethal force. The prosecution alleged that Smith's actions showed aspects of premeditation (see lying in wait) and he used excessive force in relation to the threat. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Smith, 64, was retired from the U.S. State Department and had a history of international travel to Moscow, Bangkok and Beijing. Smith's brother described him as a retired security engineering officer.
Byron Smith claimed at trial that prior to the murders he had been burglarized at least half a dozen times over the preceding few months. He had only reported 1 previous burglary to police, and investigators only found evidence of 2 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). Among the items stolen were four thousand dollars in cash, his father's POW watch, coins from a collection, and a chainsaw. Smith began routinely wearing a holster with a loaded gun inside his home, as well as stashing bottles of water and granola bars in his basement. There is some evidence that Kifer and Brady committed the previous break-ins, and Brady was being investigated for prior burglaries, including one earlier on the day they were killed. Smith installed a security system to protect himself.
On November 22, 2012, Smith drove his vehicle down the road, parking it in front of a neighbor's home. Later that day, Kifer and Brady broke into Smith's home. Video surveillance captured the teens casing the property prior to the break-in.
By his own account to police, Smith had been visiting neighbors when he saw Kifer, who he suspected was responsible for the burglaries, driving towards his home. Smith then commented that he needed to get ready for her and went back to his home. Upon entering his home, Smith turned on a recording device he owned. He removed the lightbulbs from the ceiling lights and positioned himself in a chair that was obscured from view. He heard the window upstairs break and Brady climb in (captured on audio). Smith then waited in silence for 12 minutes, until Brady began to descend into the basement. Smith shot Brady twice on the stairs, and once in the head after he fell to the bottom of the stairs. Smith then made taunting remarks to Brady's body, wrapped it in a tarp and dragged him into another room. He went upstairs, and 10–15 minutes later, he ran back down into the basement, reloaded his weapon and took up his previous position in the obscured chair. Minutes later, Kifer entered the home and could be heard calling her cousin's name. As she made her way down the stairs, Smith shot her. Wounded, she fell down the stairs, and can be heard on the recording screaming "I'm sorry" and "Oh God"; Smith shot her again, multiple times in the torso and once next to her left eye with a High Standard Double Nine Convertible .22-caliber single-action revolver. 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, killing her.
Audio and video of the events were recorded by Smith's security system.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_David_Smith_killings
Full Length Interrogation of Byron David Smith
The Byron David Smith killings occurred on Thanksgiving Day of 2012, when Haile Kifer, 18, and her cousin, Nicholas Brady, 17, broke into the home of Byron David Smith, 64, in Little Falls, Minnesota, in the United States. Smith, armed with a Ruger Mini-14, shot the teens separately and minutes apart as they entered the basement where he was, later stating to police he was worried about them being armed.
The case sparked debate over the "castle doctrine", which allows a homeowner to defend his home with lethal force. The prosecution alleged that Smith's actions showed aspects of premeditation (see lying in wait) and he used excessive force in relation to the threat. He was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Smith, 64, was retired from the U.S. State Department and had a history of international travel to Moscow, Bangkok and Beijing. Smith's brother described him as a retired security engineering officer.
Byron Smith claimed at trial that prior to the murders he had been burglarized at least half a dozen times over the preceding few months. He had only reported 1 previous burglary to police, and investigators only found evidence of 2 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). Among the items stolen were four thousand dollars in cash, his father's POW watch, coins from a collection, and a chainsaw. Smith began routinely wearing a holster with a loaded gun inside his home, as well as stashing bottles of water and granola bars in his basement. There is some evidence that Kifer and Brady committed the previous break-ins, and Brady was being investigated for prior burglaries, including one earlier on the day they were killed. Smith installed a security system to protect himself.
On November 22, 2012, Smith drove his vehicle down the road, parking it in front of a neighbor's home. Later that day, Kifer and Brady broke into Smith's home. Video surveillance captured the teens casing the property prior to the break-in.
By his own account to police, Smith had been visiting neighbors when he saw Kifer, who he suspected was responsible for the burglaries, driving towards his home. Smith then commented that he needed to get ready for her and went back to his home. Upon entering his home, Smith turned on a recording device he owned. He removed the lightbulbs from the ceiling lights and positioned himself in a chair that was obscured from view. He heard the window upstairs break and Brady climb in (captured on audio). Smith then waited in silence for 12 minutes, until Brady began to descend into the basement. Smith shot Brady twice on the stairs, and once in the head after he fell to the bottom of the stairs. Smith then made taunting remarks to Brady's body, wrapped it in a tarp and dragged him into another room. He went upstairs, and 10–15 minutes later, he ran back down into the basement, reloaded his weapon and took up his previous position in the obscured chair. Minutes later, Kifer entered the home and could be heard calling her cousin's name. As she made her way down the stairs, Smith shot her. Wounded, she fell down the stairs, and can be heard on the recording screaming "I'm sorry" and "Oh God"; Smith shot her again, multiple times in the torso and once next to her left eye with a High Standard Double Nine Convertible .22-caliber single-action revolver. 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, killing her.
Audio and video of the events were recorded by Smith's security system.
Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Byron_David_Smith_killings
