The Murders of Hampton “Smitty” Smith and Yvette Rivera

Written By Kiley Baumgartner

For this case, I watched an episode of Fear Thy Neighbor. It’s season 7 episode 5, titled ‘The Enemy Upstairs.’

A beloved couple is killed in their West Harlem apartment building.

Background

Hampton ‘Smitty’ Smith was originally from North Carolina, but had been living in New York for about 25 years. Smitty worked as a superintendent and handyman of a few of the buildings on the block. He was also called ‘the watchman,’ as he always made sure people were looked after.

Smitty lived on W. 131st Street, with his wife (several other articles say girlfriend), Yvette Rivera, who was described as petite, vivacious, and outgoing. Smitty and Yvette had been together for about 20 years, but married for about 4-5 of those years. They were a very loving couple, and attached at the hip, despite their age difference.

Hampton “Smitty” Smith and Yvette Rivera

The New Neighbor

Smitty’s friend, Ronnie Mitchell, another superintendent, introduced him to a man named Bruce Anderson, a former construction worker. At the time, Bruce wasn’t working due to hip pain. He had recently moved in with his sister, who lived right below Smitty and Yvette.

Bruce had a passion for riding his bike, which became know to his neighbors, as he went for a bike ride at the same time everyday. Smitty also liked to ride his bike, so the two bonded over that. Smitty had even offered to fix Bruce’s bike for him.

Things seemed all good in the neighborhood, that was until Bruce saw Yvette, and thought she was attractive. Bruce flirted with Yvette, who told him she was happily married. Bruce didn’t know until later on that Yvette was married to Smitty.

Bruce felt rejected by Yvette, and that’s when the problems started.

The Feud

Bruce had severe mental health issues, which several of the neighbors realized later on.

Bruce would lie in bed, and hear Smitty and Yvette upstairs making noise. However, none of the other neighbors said that they were loud. They said that Bruce became angry and agitated when he had found out that Yvette was married to Smitty. Bruce had an unhealthy obsession with her, and had tried to hit on her a few other times.

Bruce would take a broom, and hit the ceiling with it. He had also confronted both Smitty and Yvette for being too loud.

One day, Bruce physically assaulted Smitty, who was 78, and much smaller than he was. Smitty and Yvette called the police.

Bruce had contacted the police to get back at them. He said that Yvette had confronted him outside on the street, and had her hand in her pocket like she had a gun. The police didn't believe he was the victim, and he eventually admitted that he never saw a gun.

Bruce made Smitty and Yvette’s life hell. He continued to pound on the ceiling, he buzzed their apartment buzzer until it burnt out, and he took a hammer and hit the ceiling with it.

Bruce’s mental health was deteriorating, and his hip pain was becoming much worse. Bruce’s sister had also moved out. It’s believed that she couldn’t take his behavior anymore.

The Obsession

Shortly before their deaths, Bruce turned to his social media. He would find photos of women in bondage or torture situations. These women looked very similar to Yvette.

In one post, Bruce had posted an article for a new machine gun, and left a comment that said, “what would you do if Mr. Kookoo gets one of these?”

Smitty and Yvette tried to live their lives as quietly as possible, so they wouldn’t piss Bruce off.

The Murders

On October 18, 2019, several neighbors noticed that Bruce hadn’t gone out for his daily bike ride.

Bruce was actually waiting in the hallway of the apartment complex for Smitty. Smitty had returned home for his lunch break. On his way down, Bruce approached him, punched him, and began to stab him. This was all caught on the apartment surveillance.

Smitty had been able to get away from him, but Bruce caught up to him on the stairs. Bruce stabbed Smitty 11 times, and shot him in the head. Bruce then took Smitty’s keys. Yvette had heard the gunshot, and went to see what the noise was. She saw her husband and Bruce, and ran back inside her apartment, not knowing that Bruce had taken her husband’s keys.

Bruce forced himself into Smitty and Yvette’s apartment. It’s believed that he tried to tell Yvette that they could be together. Believing he was rejected again, he shot Yvette in the head and neck.

A Third Death

Several neighbors had heard the gunshots, and the police were called.

Before they arrived, Bruce ran back downstairs to his apartment, and barricaded himself inside. He shot several times into the wall he shared with his neighbor, Mary. Luckily, Mary had stopped for a cigarette, and had missed her bus that day. Mary said she was a nosey neighbor, and would’ve died that day.

The police arrived, and rang the apartment buzzers. Bruce answered, and said “c’mon in, and just get it over with,” and “come and get it.” At the same time, he was using an accelerant to set his apartment on fire.

The police were able to get inside from the back of the building. They found Smitty and Yvette’s bodies, and saw smoke billowing from Bruce’s apartment.

Bruce had locked himself in his bathroom, and shot himself in the head. He was rushed to the ambulance, but it was too late. In such a short span of time, three people were dead, and the block would never be the same.

Kiley Baumgartner
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