Betty Fran Gladden Smith (known by her middle name) is the second wife of John Smith who went missing in 1991.
Case[]
John was convicted for killing his first wife, Janice Hartman, in 1974. Hartman's body was discovered in 1980 and remained unidentified for twenty years. Foul play is strongly suspected in Fran's case.
Two other women were thought to be victims of John Smith, as their photographs were found in his possession. One was later identified and was alive.
Partial skull fragments found in John Smith's former storage unit were excluded to belong to Fran, making this a third known victim.
Characteristics[]
- Blonde hair
- Blue eyes
- Smith had recent hip surgery at the time she disappeared
- A pin was present after the surgery. She used a walker and could not have traveled alone, had her disappearance been voluntary.
- Breast implants
- No bone on her right pinkie toe
- Previous hysterectomy
- Her front teeth had temporary caps that were discolored yellow.
Gallery[]
Exclusions[]
Smith has been ruled out as the following:
- Hudson County Jane Doe (1991)
- San Bernardino County Jane Doe (1992)
Media[]
- Fran's case was detailed on both Forensic Files and Cold Case Files.
- The case was shown on I Lived with a Killer during its first season.
- Smith was portrayed by actress Susan Hogan on the 2006 television drama Murder on Pleasant Drive.
Sources[]
- Fran Smith at the Doe Network
- Fran Smith at NamUs
- Fran Smith at the Charley Project
- John Smith on Wikipedia
- I Lived with a Killer POSTMORTEM WARNING