Have You Heard about the Bizarre Murder of Devon Epps, Most People Haven’t … It’s About Time People Have

Has anyone heard of 7 year old Devon Chad Epps from Greenville County, SC and the bizarre manner in how he was murdered? Most have not as the main stream media for some reason has managed to keep it off the TV screen in lieu of “pop tart” reports. Sometimes when one reads a story it just does not seem right, nor pass the smell test, nor even seem believable. The murder of Devon Epps is just one of those stories. 7 year old Devon Epps was supposedly murdered according to his mother by a knife wielding car jacker. The car jacker then allegedly smothered Devon Epps in the back seat of her car. Devon Epps was murdered and the child died from asphyxia due to neck compression — strangulation.

The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office got a call at about 11 p.m. Sunday from a woman who said she had been stopped at the intersection of Jacobs Road and the Interstate 85 Frontage Road.The woman told investigators that the man approached her car at the stop sign around 10:30 p.m.

(Scene of the crime: Hat Tip NikkiBNurse)

She told investigators that the man had a knife or knife-like weapon when he got into the passenger door of her two-door car. Investigators said the woman told them the man forced the woman’s son into the back seat of the car and ordered the woman to drive around. (WYFF4)

Slide show of events 

(Sketch of suspect)

Some on the internet, Rapid Eye Reality, have been following this case for quite some time. His skepticism of the story that was told, in many ways parallels that vast majority of people that have read and followed the case of the murder of Devon Epps as well. Crimeblogs has also done tremendous work on the analysis of this murder.

The case of the murder of Devon Epps has been discussed at great lengths on the Greenville on-line forums.  The local accounts and inside information are very well apparent by those close to where this crime took place.

The events of Devon Epps, if one is to believe them as described by Devon’s mother Amanda Reagan Smith as to what she told investigators:

• Amanda and Devon Epps were stopped at Jacobs Road and Interstate 85 that Sunday night when a scruffy-looking white man carrying a knife ordered the mother from her car.
• Investigators said the woman told them the man forced the woman’s son into the back seat of the car and ordered the woman to drive around.
• Amanda was able to get out of the car but when she did, the suspect locked the doors and that’s when he got into the back of the car
• The man locked himself in the car with Devon. Then  he smothered the boy, holding a pillow over the child’s face.
• Devon Epps was taken to a hospital, where he was declared deceased. Amanda Reagan Smith was injured as well. She was treated and released from the hospital that night.
• The woman had non-life threatening injuries, deputies said.

Does this sound believable or like the many similar cases where a family members entire family is murdered yet they survive virtually unscathed? The story certainly sounds suspect.

UPDATE I: What makes this case even more bizarre is maybe the fire that occurred at the home of Devon Epps three months earlier that nearly killed him. According to investigators, they never determined whether it was accidental or arson.

Family members tell us back in May the fire started in Devon’s room, destroying everything.  “He lost all of his clothes, all of his toys,” says Diane. Diane says the little boy told her an amazing story of how he survived.  “He was trying to grab the door and it was so hot,” she says.  “He grabbed at something to open the door and he finally got out and he went in there to wake his momma up.”  She says it was a miracle he lived to tell the story, only to have his little life extinguished three months later.

To make matters even more strange, take a good look at Amanda Reagan Smith’s MySpace account. Well it will have to be the cached one since it looks like she has deleted the old one. No wonder after taking a look at it.

Video of Devon’s father praying that they find his son’s killer.

UPDATE II: Investigators confident boy’s slaying will be solved. But authorities not saying how close they may be to an arrest

Investigators looking into the murder of 7 year old Devon Epps have stated that they are confident that the case will be solved. With all the information that has been provided to police, there are so many tests that can be done and putting the pieces together to see whether a story actually holds water.

Nearly a month has passed since 7-year-old Devon Epps was killed and numerous leads have been followed, but authorities can’t say whether they are any closer to making an arrest than they were when the investigation began.

Still, Greenville County Sheriff Steve Loftis said Friday he’s confident that the case will be solved.

“I don’t want to speculate on how close we are,” Loftis said. “It’s difficult to put an exact time frame on it, because we just have to follow the leads, follow the tips and see where the investigation goes.” But, Loftis said, “I feel confident we’ll make an arrest.”

UPDATE III: Mother Of Murdered 7-year-old Involved In Car Accident

Cars certainly seem to be an issue with Amanda Reagan Smith. First her son according to her accounts was murdered by a car-jacker in the back seat of her vehicle at Jacobs Road and Interstate 85. Now Amanda Smith has a car accident, rear ending another vehicle. Is the pressure starting to set in?

Authorities tell us Amanda Reagan Smith ran her 2007 Kia into the back of a van on Highway 176 in Spartanburg.  Highway patrol officials say Smith rear-ended the van as it slowed down for a traffic light.