The Murder of Rebecca Payne
For this post, I found a new show to watch. It’s called American Nightmare, this is the very first episode of the series titled ‘Apartment 23.’ I picked this show because there are photos of evidence, as well as actual interrogations.
A college student was murdered in her own apartment, and the reasoning for it will make you angry!
Background
Rebecca Payne
Rebecca was a 22 year old college student, majoring in Athletic Training at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. She was a senior and close to graduating at the time she was killed.
She was described as being the nicest person who made friends really easily. She also loved to travel and loved to socialize with her friends. Rebecca was also described as being very smart and was the president of the Athletic Training club at school.
The Murder
On May 20, 2008, a 911 call came in from a maintenance worker at the Parker Hills Apartments. He told the dispatcher that he came across an apartment that had their door halfway open, and that he saw something that looked like blood.
The police came to the apartment complex, to apartment 23. There was blood everywhere, soaking into the carpet and leaving a trail to the back bedrooms. A woman was found lying facedown in her room. She had been shot multiple times- in the arms, legs and torso.
Rebecca Payne would later be identified as the victim. The police had found her mail in the apartment, and her parents had to identify her when they were told the tragic news.
Another picture of Rebecca
Investigation
The police found four shell casings in the living room. They also found a laptop, cell phone and bloodied bus pass card, that would later be very helpful to their case.
They also noticed that the sliding glass door leading out to the patio was opened. The police determined this could have been how the killer go in. The front door was not damaged, so they believed someone broke in or Rebecca knew her killer.
The police also talked to other tenants of the building and only spoke to one witness, despite other people saying they heard the gun shots and loud noises, nobody called 911. The witness was described as being from Vietnam and spoke only limited English. However, he told the police he saw a black SUV around the time of the shooting. He couldn’t make out who was driving or the license plate though.
Rebecca’s autopsy results came back. Her cause of death was multiple gun shot wounds. It was determined that she was not sexually assaulted, and the police determined she probably didn’t have a chance to fight back as there was no DNA under her fingernails.
Suspects
The first suspect was the maintenance man who called 911. His name was Paul Jones, he also lived at the building as well as worked there. He was a suspect because he was the 911 caller and there was a reddish brown stain on his apartment door. He told the police he was at home with his wife at the time of the murder.
The stain came back as not being blood, and his wife confirmed his alibi, so he was ruled out.
The next suspect was Rebecca’s roommate, but it was determined that she had not been living there for awhile and had moved back to live with her family. She did give the police another suspect though, Rebecca’s boyfriend Matt.
Rebecca’s dad, Nicholas, said Rebecca met Matt while going to school at Northeastern. The police found out that Matt had left the Boston area to go home to Albany, New York, and they found out when he was coming back and brought him in after he returned.
Matt said he was in Albany for a few days, and wasn’t even in Boston. He had bus tickets to prove it. His parents confirmed he was home and he was ruled out.
Security Footage
The police were back to square one, because they didn't have any suspects. The security footage from the main hallway at the apartment building was also a dead end because new tapes weren’t put into the cameras.
They had to obtain some other footage from a nearby hospital that overlooked the entrance to the apartment complex. It was never said in this episode exactly what time the cause of death was, but they did say it was after midnight. The police cued up the footage, and saw a black SUV driving into the apartment complex, just like the witness said. They also couldn’t make out who was driving or the license plate, as the footage was very grainy.
The police also had the bloody bus pass. They were able to find footage of Rebecca from that night at 10:22pm. She was alone and not being followed by anyone.
6 Years Later
It would be six long years before Rebecca’s loved one would get any answers about what happened to her. Rebecca’s parents, Nicholas and Virginia, always went to the apartment complex every year on the anniversary of Rebecca’s death. Nicholas also said he called the media every year, he didn’t want anyone to forget about his daughter’s case.
Six long years later, a witness came forward. He said he knew what happened to Rebecca Payne. His name was Anthony White, and he was a known drug dealer. Anthony was now paralyzed and blind, after being shot in the neck. He was also in jail for a drug charge, and came forward to get his sentenced reduced.
He told the police that the man who killed Rebecca was named Cornell Smith, another local drug dealer. Anthony said Cornell was not alone that night, and that his friend drove a black SUV. He said Cornell climbed onto the balcony, went inside and shot Rebecca five times.
The police were very confused as to why Rebecca was killed over drugs. It was until Anthony gave them more information. Anthony said it was a case of mistaken identity. The real target was a neighbor of Rebecca’s who lived a few floors below. She and her sister had been involved in drugs, and Cornell wanted revenge. The real target also looked very similar to Rebecca. Rebecca was killed for ABSOLUTELY NO REASON!!!
Trial and Conviction
Cornell Smith
Cornell was charged with Rebecca’s murder. Only it would take the police having to find new evidence before he was convicted. The only person who could have testified against Cornell, Anthony White, passed away before the trial due to his injuries from the shooting.
The police decided to look through Cornell’s police files, until they found some of Cornell’s own writings. Cornell had written about killing Rebecca and that it was because of mistaken identity.
In 2015, Cornell Smith was given a deal. He took the deal and pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 18 years in prison.
Other
Michael Balba, the driver of the black SUV was also charged with lying to the grand jury. He was indicted for four counts of perjury.
Rebecca’s parents said they do not forgive either man because Rebecca was “truly an innocent victim.”
Michael Balba
Rebecca’s parents
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is just so heartbreaking. KILLED FOR NO REASON!!!!! Rebecca was killed because some drug dealer thought he was “an advocate” (his words) and had to kill a rival drug dealer. He deserves much higher than 18 years. He deserves to rot in prison and never get out!
Also, why did no one call 911??? These people are SO shitty. Rebecca could have possibly gotten help sooner if ONE person called 911.
I feel so sorry for Rebecca’s family and friends. First, she was killed FOR NO REASON, and second, it took six years for this case to finally be solved. The police are lucky that Cornell Smith didn’t kill someone else. He’s a dangerous person, and hopefully if he does get out he doesn’t kill again.
Sources
https://www.newmilfordspectrum.com/news/article/Two-charged-in-murder-of-Rebecca-Payne-3532298.php
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/02/13/man-pleads-guilty-to-2008-murder-of-northeastern-student/
https://huntnewsnu.com/37385/campus/smith-charged-in-08-murder-of-rebecca-payne/
