The cat and mouse chase to catch a serial killer (Part 2/2) | Forensic Files

[Music] our episodes deal with serious and often distressing incidents if you feel at any
time you need support please contact your local crisis center for suggested phone numbers for confidential support
and for a more detailed list of content warnings please the show notes for this episode on your app or on our
website today's episode involves crimes against children and won't be suitable for all
[Music] listeners married couple Deborah and Sherwood helmi worked hard to provide a
comfortable life for their three young children in mid 1985 the couple saved enough money to move out of the home
they'd been sharing with relatives and into a space of their own the Shiloh mobile home park in South
Carolina's Richland County provided modest yet Pleasant accommodation with just 13 trailers on
the property it was a relatively close-knit hardworking Community where residents looked out for one
another by June the Helix had been living at the trailer park for 2 months although their busy schedules didn't
leave them much time for socializing with the other tenants they were starting to settle
in on the afternoon of Friday June 14 Deborah prepared for her waitressing shift at a local barbecue
restaurant her husband Sherwood hadn't yet returned home from his construction job so Deborah had little choice but to
bring her three children along for the drive Deborah didn't have a car but her neighbor Vicki was happy to help out
Vicki agreed to drop Deborah at the restaurant and then keep an eye on her kids until Sherwood knocked off from
work work just as they were about to leave Sherwood returned home 6-year-old Becky
still wanted to go for the drive but 9-year-old Deborah May and 3-year-old Woody decided to stay home the
youngsters said goodbye to their mother then went to play outside while their father cooled down
indoors Ricky Morgan lived in a neighboring trailer four doors down at around 400 p.m. he heard a noise outside
and looked out the window a silver car that Ricky didn't recognize rapidly pulled into the
trailer park it stopped near the two helmic children who were playing at the front
of their trailer a white male got out of the vehicle leaving his motor running and
the door open he walked over and began speaking to the two children in his hand appeared to be a white
bag Ricky didn't think much of it assuming he was a friend of the family but suddenly the man grabbed Deborah May
around the waist and raced back towards his car Deborah May began Kicking and Screaming the man threw her into his
vehicle where Deborah May continued to scream and started kicking the roof by the time Ricky realized what was
happening it was too late he raced outside but the car sped past him and out of the trailer park
3-year-old Woody desperately scrambled underneath a nearby Bush shaking with fear when asked what happened a
terrified Woody later explained the bad man said he was coming back to get [Music]
me Sherwood helck had been just 20 ft away getting changed in his bedroom where the
buzzing of his air conditioner unit drowned out the sound of his daughter's screams but a friend who had given him a
lift home from work was sitting in the front room of the helmet trailer and overheard the commotion he told shwood
what was going on and the two quickly raced outside just quick enough to catch a glimpse of the silver car as it
disappeared down Old peral Road a long rural stretch running through the H of Richland
County they jumped in sherwoods France car and gave Chase but the vehicle was long
gone officers were alerted and a search for the 9-year-old kicked off immediately trailer park resident Ricky
Morgan had gotten a decent look at the kidnapper describing him as aged in his early to mid 30s 5'9 and weighing
roughly 200 lb he had a brown receding hairline short brown beard and was wearing shorts
with a light colored sleeveless top the car itself had red stripes down the side and was possibly a 1982 or 1983
model Chevrolet Monte Carlo or pontiaka Grand Prix tire tracks at the Park were consistent with it being a General
Motors model vehicle Ricky had caught a glimpse of the South Carolina license plate just
long enough to see that it started with the letter D the helmets were beside themselves
they had no known enemies and couldn't think of anyone who would want to harm their
daughter Deborah May was an incredibly smart young girl who was obedient well behaved and a little shy not the type to
to speak to strangers although the helmets mostly kept to themselves neighbors described
them as a likable family no one had noticed any other suspicious Behavior around the
property the only plausible explanation seemed to be that Deborah may had been the target of an opportunistic
predator for investigators there were a couple of details that caused particular
concern Deborah May helmi's abduction had occurred on the two we anniversary of Sherie Smith's kidnapping right down
to the hour the two girls lived roughly 24 mies apart both had been brazenly taken from
the front of their own homes while their parents stood nearby oblivious to what was
happening although there was an 8-year age difference between Sherie and deborra may they shared similar physical
characteristics both were blonde with blue eyes there were immediate concerns that
Deborah may could have fallen victim to the same fate as Sher at the time of her
kidnapping N9 days had passed since Sher Smith's body had been discovered and despite their tireless efforts
investigators were no closer to identifying her killer witness Ricky Morgan was shown
the suspect sketch of sher's abductor and noticed similarities to the man who had taken Deborah
May although the man Ricky witnessed was younger and stockier with darker hair and a beard he also drove a completely
different vehicle it was believed that Sher had been forced into her attack his car at
gunpoint yet Deborah may had been physically grabbed if the two attacks weren't linked this prompted another terrifying
possibility what if sher's killer had inspired a copycat if the same perpetrator was
responsible for both abductions police held grave concerns for Deborah May's welfare they wasted no time in launching
a fullscale investigation with officers from surrounding counties called into to
assist while helicopters surveilled overhead if the Smith case had taught them anything it was that the
perpetrator thrived on Power and attention investigators therefore anticipated that if the same person was
responsible for both crimes it was a matter of time before he contacted Deborah May's
family but there was one issue the helmet didn't have a phone if the 9-year-old had been
targeted at random the perpetrator likely didn't know this instead investigators monitored the phone in the
manager's Office of the trailer park but the days ticked by and the kidnapper remained
silent when the Smith family found out about deorah May's Abduction the first thing
they did was pray for the helmets they told reporters we knew when we lost Sher that
no one could give us as much comfort as God that was able to strengthen us and we want to pass that
along unlike the Smith family the helmets refrained from making any public appeals they were too
traumatized Sherwood was unable to cope with the fact that his daughter had been
taken while he was mere meters away and he wept uncontrollably his wife Deborah sunk
into a deep depression blacking out from stress and requiring Medical Care they clung desperately onto the
hope that Deborah May would be found alive but the very real possibility that that may not be the case left them
crippled with distress Sherwood refused to let his other two children out of his
sight when he finally summoned the strength to speak to a reporter for the Columbia record he
said you've got a wacko out there and you never know what he might do up until this point the composite
sketch of Sher Smith's abductor had been withheld from the public desperate for leads the decision was made to release
it for the first time it prompted an overwhelming response with the Abduction of a second
young girl from neighboring counties the already fearful Community became increasingly
paranoid everyone was viewed with suspicion police tip lines rang off the hook with locals wanting to report
everything from Psychic Visions to their own personal theories officers who were already
working around the clock to try and solve Sher Smith's murder were thrown into a spin with the introduction of a
second possibly linked case hours of crucial investigative time went into checking license plate numbers as
tipsters reported every suspicious bearded man driving a car similar to the ones witnessed during the
abductions complicating matters further was the fact that both kidnappings and The Dumping of sher's body had taken
place in different jurisdictions leading to issues when it came to communication
and coordination between the different law enforcement agencies one official appeared on the
news his stress evident as he told reporters we are on an 18-hour work schedule now we just can't take really
much more with the rumor mill swinging into overdrive and wreaking havoc on both
investigators and the public Lexington County Sheriff James matz took a media vow of silence refusing to speak about
either case until substantial progress was made although investigators were treading with caution in case both
abductions were linked they still had no evidence to confirm this Deborah May helmi's case was being
treated as a missing person investigation and hopes continued to be held that she'd be found
alive just like they had with the Smith case the community rallied behind the helmic with an outpouring of support in
the form of food and financial donations it was impossible for other parents not to put themselves in the
helmic shoes with one woman remarking every time one of my children walks out the door I pray to God that
they'll come back safely Sherwood helck told reporters he was optimistic that investigators would
solve his daughter's case within a couple of days but by the time sher's killer made
contact with with Dawn Smith on Saturday June 22 Deborah may had been missing for
8 days as soon as the caller asked Dawn Smith if she had quote heard about Deborah May hamr investigators listening
in hung on to his every word Dawn was aware of the young girl's kidnapping but she responded
no realizing he had mispronounced Deborah May's surname the caller corrected himself and said
helmic this time dor responded that yes she did know about deborra May okay now listen carefully said her
sister's killer go one North well one West turn left at Peach Festival Road or Bill's
Grill go 3 and 1/2 miles through Gilbert turn right last dirt road before you come to stop sign at Two Notch Road go
through chain and no trespassing sign go 50 yards and to the left go 10 yards debbah May is
waiting God forgive us all the location the caller had described was in Lexington County
roughly 14 Mi west of the Smith's home and 30 mi from the helmet the manner in which he' given
directions was so similar to the way he described the location of sher's body that officers descending on the scene
had little doubt as to what they would find there following the instructions took
them to a remote location in the back roads outside the small town of Gilbert where they located the no trespassing
sign as described it led down a hill that backed onto a wooded area at the bottom of the hill lay the
body of Deborah may helmi as with Sherie Smith Deborah May's body was severely decomposed to the
point that her exact cause of death couldn't be ascertained however the residue of
adhesive material in her hair indicated that she too had likely been suffocated the 9-year-old was still
dressed in the same clothing she'd been wearing at the time of her abduction pinstriped shorts and a lavender colored
t-shirt the level of decomposition meant it couldn't be determined whether she'd
been sexually assaulted but evidence found on her body indicated there was a sexual motivation to the
crime Deborah May was still wearing the same pair of cotton underwear she'd been
dressed in on the day of her kidnapping but over the top was a pair of adult women's silk bikini
briefs when criminal profiler John Douglas heard this detail and gave him further insight into what kind of
perpetrator they were dealing with as explained in his book When a Killer calls Douglas suspected that the killer
wouldn't feel particularly good about taking a child victim with Sher Smith he could convince
himself that the two had some kind of reasonable relationship without this delusion he
would likely feel somewhat ashamed of his actions Douglas believed it was like that the adult underwear belonged to
another of the Killer's victims by putting them on Deborah may it was possible he was trying to
diminish his guilt about attacking a child the call placed to Dawn Smith was traced to a payone outside a Kentucky
Fried Chicken fast food restaurant in the South Carolina town of suta roughly 72 mies from where Deborah May's body
was found as was the case with all his previous calls the killer had left behind no discernable
Clues but with the addition of a second body and a second crime scene investigators were able to piece
together a few more details about the perpetrator the remote location where de's body was found added further weight
to the belief that the killer lived locally like the Masonic Lodge where sher's body was dumped this wasn't the
kind of location one would just stumble upon by accident furthermore the fact that he'd scattered his crimes among
three different counties supported the theory that he had knowledge of forensic proceedings investigators believed he'd
intentionally spread his offenses between jurisdictions knowing it would hinder the
investigation by this point 22 days had passed since Sher Smith had been abducted in that time the perpetrator
had successfully pulled off a second abduction and two murders he'd made multiple calls to Sher
Smith's family and one to news reporter Charlie keys yet despite unrelenting efforts
made by multiple law enforcement agencies including the FBI no Prime suspects had
emerged on his latest call to dawn Smith the killer didn't disguise his voice this indicated two possibilities
either he was getting sloppy or he was getting cocky the helmets were saved from having
to view their daughter's Body by identifying her based on her clothing instead as soon as Deborah helmi saw the
pink hair clip she'd placed in her daughter's hair before leaving for work on the day of the abduction her worst
nightmare was confirmed as The Grieving parents came to terms with their loss a press
conference with was held for police to break the news to the public Sheriff James Mets reluctantly
confirmed what everyone had been fearing since Debra May was taken a serial killer was on the
loose Mets urged parents to remain Vigilant saying I don't want to frighten anybody but as your Sheriff it is my
duty to tell you that you should exercise extra caution during these trying times the ECT sketch was revised to
reflect the sightings from both kidnappings and was published in all the local papers it showed a white heavy set male
aged between 28 and 35 with longish hair and a dark beard although if profiler John
Douglas's assumptions were anything to go by the perpetrator's physical appearance would likely have changed
since his Crim spray kicked off he might be losing or gaining weight looking uncamp and could be drinking
heavily if members of the public were paranoid before they were now well and truly
petrified panicked parents Ved for a spot in a community program about child safety while concerned citizens sought
out self-defense classes and continued to report even the most remotely suspicious
activity people called the police to voice concerns that their families could be targeted next
tipline switchboards were completely overwhelmed with unsubstantiated rumors with police becoming so inundated that
they threatened to prosecute anyone who deliberately hindered the investigation as journalist Margaret OA
wrote In The State newspaper other crimes have shocked the public conscience and other murders have
provoked Community outrage but none have so completely gripped the Midlands in intense
pervasive fear as have the abductions and deaths of Sher Smith and Deborah May helmi the terror has circumscribed the
lives and thoughts of thousands consumed with the Stark and Dreadful knowledge that a bold killer or killers were at
large no driveway no front yard no pool or Pond no place where children play could be assumed to be safe
anymore despite the killer claiming a second victim and the ongoing concerns that
Dawn Smith could be targeted next the Smith family agreed to go ahead with the staged memorial service for sher's
birthday as planned on Tuesday June 25 undercover officers strategically placed themselves
around the cemetery while covert security guards lay in wait in case anyone tried to cause any
harm when the service ended Dawn took one of sher's cherished stuffed koalas and placed it on her
grave various members of the press were there to report on the event in the hopes the media attention would
re-engage the killer to make further contact speaking afterwards to the Colombia record Bob Smith said the only
way they coped was through their belief in God Hilda added it's even harder today
knowing that this is the day you gave birth and she's not here with you knowing she's not ever going to be here
with you again the following day was Deborah May's Funeral over 300 people gathered to
mourn the loss of the smart young girl who dreamed of becoming a teacher or School
principal the presiding Minister told those in attendance this is a very difficult time for all of
us we are afraid angry and confused we are all sad and broken we are afraid for our children we don't feel safe in our
front yards we distrust every stranger we ask when will it end convinced that the killer could be
among the crowd plain clothes officers were positioned around the cemetery while a police helicopter circled
overhead meanwhile sher's grave site was surveilled around to the clock and the license plate of every vehicle that
passed by was taken down but the Trap didn't appear to be working no one made any attempt to take
the stuffed koala nor had the killer made a peep all that didn't matter on the same day that Deborah May
helmi was laid to rest Specialists were finally able to run Sher Smith's last will and testament through an electronic
detection apparatus known as an Asda machine with the use of graphite an Asda can pick up images that aren't visible
to the naked eye such as indentations left on paper the esda revealed several latent
Impressions on Sherry's last will and testament on the same pad she'd used to write her letter someone had written
what appeared to be a grocery list but that wasn't all there was a string of numbers looking closely investigators
realized what they were looking at a phone [Music] number the discovery of a latent phone
number number on Sher Smith's final letter was a major breakthrough but there was just one problem only nine
digits of the 10-digit phone number were visible investigators could make out the
first three digits 205 this was the interstate area code for Alabama the next three digits were 837
which was the local exchange for Huntsville an Alabama city roughly 380 Mi West of
Lexington but of the last four digits only three were visible this was only a minor setback
investigators realized the missing number could only be one of 10 options they tried every possible
combination and crosschecked each one against phone records to identify if any of the Huntsville numbers had
Communications around the Lexington County area one of them had one investigator dialed the
number a friendly sounding man answered he sounded like he was in his 20s or 30s
but his voice didn't match the killer he said his name was Joe Shepherd and that he was stationed at an army
base which he hadn't left in recent weeks but when asked if he knew anyone in South Carolina Joe said yes his
parents lived in Saluda County 50-year-old Ella Shepard was an electrician he and his wife Sharon lived
near Lake Murray less than 10 miles from the home of Sherie Smith and just 2 miles from the location where Deborah
May helmi's body was found investigators immediately descended on their home but as soon as
they met the couple it was blatantly obvious that Ellis didn't fit the profile file of Sher and Deborah May
killer for starters he was older and didn't match the suspect description secondly he had a squeaky
clean criminal record with no prior run-ins with the law thirdly he and Sharon were happily
married going against the belief that the perpetrator would be a loner with a history of failed
relationships although the Shepherds were caught off guard by the police presence nothing in Ellis's demeanor
indicated that he was nervous when asked if they knew about the recent abductions and murders
happening in the area the couple said yes they were aware of them but they'd been out of town at the time that each
incident had occurred and they didn't know all of the details they could think of no reason
why their son's phone number could have appeared on the final letter written by one of the
victims the investigators described the the behavioral profile of the killer to the Shepherds and implored them to think
if there was anyone they knew who fit that description the two exchanged a knowing
glance over the past month Sharon and Ellis had been away traveling one of Ellis's electrical assistants had been
housesitting for them during that time the couple had left him a list of phone numbers on yellow legal paper that he
could call in case of an emergency one of those numbers was for their son Joe as the Shepherds considered the
criminal profile they realized just how many of those factors matched their house
sitter but it wasn't until they were play a recording of the Killer's voice that they knew for
sure Dirty son of a [ __ ] Ella said that's Larry Jean Bell 36-year-old Larry Jean Bell was a South
Carolina local just like the profile anticipated he'd once been married with a child but the relationship ended in
divorce after which Bill's ex-wife and Son relocated into State Bill had previously served in the
Marines but was discharged within a year after he accidentally shot himself in the knee while cleaning his
gun since then he'd had a range of jobs in including prison guard Airline reservations Clerk and electronic
contractor a search of Bill's background revealed that 10 years prior he had approached a young woman at knife point
and tried to force her into his car a passer by heard the woman screams and called the police who arrested Bell as
he tried to flee Bell pleaded guilty to assault and battery and was sentenced to 5 years in
prison a sentence that was ultimately suspended in favor of him paying a $1,000 fine 8 months after this failed attack
Bell was in Colombia when he saw a woman slip and fall in the process of helping
her to her fate Belle flashed a gun and tried to force the woman into his car again she fought back and Belle was
arrested he pleaded guilty to AA and battery and was sentenced to 5 years in prison a mandatory psychiatric report
concluded that the likelihood of B re offending was very high in one counseling session he told
the psychiatrist I feel uncontrollable urges to attack females and want help before I
really hurt someone regardless 2 years into his sentence he was released a couple of years later in 1979
a 10-year-old girl began receiving obscene phone calls in which the caller detailed various sex acts he wanted the
two to perform together he seemed to know where the girl lived and threatened to stop by her
house the girl's mother eventually recorded the calls and they were traced back to
Bell again he pleaded guilty but was only given a 2 years suspended sentence by the time of the Smith helmic attacks
Larry Jean Bell had spent the past three years living with his parents on Shaw Island in Lake Murray he rarely saw his
12-year-old child and made NS meet by doing casual electrical jobs for various contractors when Ellis and Sharon
Shepard asked Bell if he wanted to house sit while they traveled for 6 weeks he jumped at the
chance but when Bell picked the couple up from the airport upon their return they were a little taken
aback in the short amount of time they'd been away Bell had lost about 10B had stopped shaving and looked generally
exhausted and uncamp he seemed to bit out of it all he wanted to talk about was the kidnapping
and murder of Sher Smith Sharon had asked him to save any news about the case so she could catch
up on the events when she got home but to her surprise Belle had gone above and beyond clipping newspaper articles from
every newspaper in the area when the shepherd saw the revised sketch of the suspect they
paused it looked remarkably similar to Larry Jean Bell they considered for a moment
whether he could have something to do with the crimes but quickly shook this thought
off although Bell could be a bit strange and spaced out at times they believed there was no way he was capable of
anything so heinous B was generally a quiet reserved person who'd never given them or anyone
else any cause for concern neighbors knew him to be kind and gentle the type of guy you could
count on for help and who made a great fishing buddy as one former coworker later told
the Charlotte Observer Bell was always smiling and laughing he was the most likable person you ever
knew Ellis sheeper tried to dismiss the idea that bill could be involved in the recent murders but the similarities he
bore with the suspect sketch nagged at him late one night Ellis felt compelled to check on his gun he kept a loaded
pistol at home and had told Belle about it in case he needed it for protection while they were
gone but the gun wasn't there Ellis called Bell and asked about it Bell explained that he'd kept the
pistol under the mattress of the guest bed he'd been sleeping in Larry went into the guest room and
lifted the mattress there lay a copy of Hustler magazine on the cover was a blonde woman
dressed in bondage gear and placed in a crucifix position beside the magazine was Ellis's
gun he picked it up it had been recently fired on the morning of Wednesday June 26 1985 Larry Jean Bell made his way to
the shepherd's house to begin a day of electrical work he was driving a gray Buick Riviera
a car that didn't match the vehicle used in either abduction as he approached an
intersection a police car cut him off and an officer placed him under arrest without
incident inside his vehicle officers found a double-edged knife on the passenger
seat Bell appeared to be caught off guard but not completely surprised asking simply can I call my
mama Belle was taken into custody while search warrants were executed at the shepherd's home the guest room that Bell
had been staying in was meticulously clean it appeared to have been recently dusted and vacuumed and the bed linen
was freshly washed but when investigators removed the sheets a special laser machine
determined that the mattress topper was stained with a mix of urine semen and blood the blood was type A the same type
is Sher Smith's red fibers were also found these were compared to red fibers found on
sher's body and determined to be a match forensic investigators spent 12 hours painstakingly examining the
property in the bathroom they found six blonde hairs confirmed to be a match to Sher a search warrant was also executed
at the lakefront home of Bell's parents who were upstanding well-regarded citizens in their local
community unsurprisingly to investigators B's bedroom was meticulously organized he had a large pornography
collection with a focus on BDSM a search of his dresser drawers revealed a bag of women's underwear with
one pair of silk briefs similar to those that Deborah may helck had been dressed
in also found was a sheet of postage stamps featuring commemorative duck decoys the same as the stamp used to
mail Sher Smith's last will and testament meanwhile police combed through the surveillance photos taken
from sher's grave in one they saw a car parked on the roadside right near the grave the driver never got out of the
car a search of the license plate revealed the car was registered to none other than Larry Jane
[Music] Bell the circumstantial evidence against Bell was stucking up but to secure a
conviction investigators were hoping for one thing in particular a confession but upon questioning Bell
repeatedly denied any involvement in the murders of Sher Smith or Deborah may helmi he told interviewing
detectives this Larry Jean Bell didn't do it it's the bad Larry Jean Bell I know for a fact that Larry Jean Bell did
not do that to these poor women I'm not lying to you I'll do everything I can to
help you but I can't confess for someone else when pressed further Bell said all I know is that the Larry Jean
Bell sitting here couldn't have done such a thing but there's a bad Larry Jean Bell that could have
he then made an oddd request could he meet with sher's family Hilder and Dawn courageously
agreed and were taken into the interrogation room Belle began to mumble that the person sitting before them
could not be capable of such quote ungodly things while he admitted to feeling some
form of guilt he made no confession Bell told Hilda if I'm directly responsible for this
crime I do apologize if I've brought tragedy into your lives and tragedy to myself I don't know what to say to you I
just can't believe I've done those Terrible Things the mother and daughter made it
very clear to Bill that they knew he was the man responsible for killing Sher his denial filled Dawn with
disgust at the very least she heard HED he'd be man enough to own up to his actions and
apologize regardless Hilda told him I don't hate you there is not enough room in my heart for more
pain after interviewing friends and family members investigators could find no evidence to indicate that Larry Jean
Bell and Sher Smith were known to one another prior to May 31 1985 it appeared that Sherie had simply been
in the wrong place at the wrong time on the afternoon of Sherry's disappearance Bell had been in downtown
Lexington dropping his mother at a doctor's appointment he had likely caught sight
of Sherie as she got into her car after her friend's pool party and made the decision to follow her home from
there although Bell had probably been fantasizing about pulling off such a crime for a while the attack was
somewhat opportunistic when Sher arrived at her house and got out of her car to check
the mail Belle likely approached her brandishing a gun and demanded she get into his car back at the shepherd's
house he answered a call from a friend who worked as a waitress at a local restaurant Belle's parents had just
arrived for dinner and she invited Bell to come join them Belle said he'd rather
stay in and watch the College World Series Series baseball game Instead at this point investigators
believed Sher was tied to the bed terrified a night of sexual assault likely preceded sher's eventual murder
at 458 a.m. the time that Bell told the Smith family their souls became one during the search of Belle's bedroom
officers found a business card for a top soil company located on Old peral Road directly across from the trailer park
where the helck family lived the company belonged to B's sister Diane Diane and her husband occasionally
hired b to do some work for their business investigators theorized that b had caught sight of 9-year-old Deborah
May helmi while working for his sister and had targeted her because of her blonde hair and the fact she'd be easy
to control from the outset of the investigation criminal profilers believed the serial
killer would keep trophies of his victims despite extensive searches of Bell's home and vehicle nothing
belonging to Sherie Smith or Deborah May helck was found but there was no denying Larry
Jean Bell's obsession with the two cases not only had he kept the extensive collection of newspaper clippings for
Sharon Shepard a neighbor recalled that Belle had been eager to bring up sher's kidnapping the day after it
happened he claimed to be a good friend of the Smith family and had made the odd
comment she's dead now the neighbor hadn't thought anything of it at the time but he did notice one
thing Belle had always sported a full beard the day after sher's kidnapping he was clean
shaven questions remained regarding the vehicles used in the abductions the only car linked to Bell
was the gray Buick he'd been driving at the time of his arrest 2 days prior to this a cranberry
colored Buick Regal had been found abandoned in a hotel car park a search revealed it had been
reported stolen in April and the thief had never been apprehended but there was no evidence
inside to link it to Bell nor could investigators find the silvercolor General Motors vehicle used in the
Abduction of Deborah May helck however when Bell was arrested officers searched his car and found a
license plate in the trunk that didn't match those on display the witness to Deborah May's
abduction recalled the kidnapper's license plate beginning with the letter D the plate inside Bill's vehicle read
dce 604 [Music] news that an arrest had been made in the Smith helmet case was met with mixed
reactions while members of the community breathed the collective sigh of relief that someone had finally been held
accountable those who knew Bell were in disbelief neighbors and former colleagues struggled to comprehend that
the friendly and likable person they knew could be capable of such crimes many were convinced that police had
caught the wrong guy but investigators had no doubts after sorting out some complex
jurisdictional issues Larry Jean Bell was officially charged with the kidnapping and murder of both Sher Smith
and Deborah May helmi both cases would be tried separately both carried the possibility
of the death penalty but there was something else that investigators needed to get to the
bottom of while Bel was being transported for one of his court hearings he turned to one of the
accompanying officers Bell said that he wanted to speak to law enforcement in Charlotte a
city in the neighboring state of North Carolina saying I want to tell them some things
about a missing girl named Sandy 26-year-old Sandy cornette was an insurance adjuster and part-time model
who lived in East Charlotte on Sunday November 18 1984 Sandy had dinner at home with her fiance who then left to
spend the night at his own home when Sandy failed to show up at work the next day with no explanation police went to
her house to conduct a welfare check the house was empty but the television was on the contents of sy's purse had been
dumped under her bed but nothing was missing besides a single ATM card and there was was no sign of a Breakin or a
struggle based on clothes missing from her cupboard it was deduced that Sandy had been wearing a navy blue velour
jogging suit at the time of her disappearance police considered whether she could have been attacked Upon
returning home from a run but those who knew Sandy said she often wore her running clothes when lounging around the
house however they also said she was not the type to ever open the door to a stranger
this raised the possibility had Sandy been abducted by someone she knew for days investigators searched the
surrounding areas but no sign of Sandy cornette was found a trace was put on sy's missing
ATM card providing what appeared to be a breakthrough when it was revealed that the card had been used several times at
a bank in Charlotte by a man and woman the suspect weren't identified and s's case eventually went
cold that all changed as Larry Jean Bell unprompted began telling the accompanying
officer on Monday God is going to reveal to me where Sandy cornet's body is he said her hands would be folded in
prayer position just like with Sher Smith an interview was arranged between Belle and authorities in Charlotte
during which he ran Ed for 12 hours saying that he was the most Gifted Man in the world and that God Zapped
messages down to him he claimed everything he knew about Sandy cornette was revealed to him by
God investigators did some digging and realized that at the time of sy's disappearance Larry Jean Bell lived just
four miles from sy's home in Charlotte's Mint Hill district the two were were vaguely known
to one another having met at a party years prior through a former boyfriend of sy's who worked with bell at Eastern
Airlines just a few weeks after Sandy vanished Belle moved away the theft element of sy's
disappearance didn't fit with B's Mo but he was able to give accurate details about the ATM withdraws that had never
been released to the public Belle quickly Rose to the position of prime suspect but
investigators failed to find any concrete evidence linking him to the crime but Sandy cornette wasn't the only
one during his 12-hour interview Bell hinted at having knowledge about two other cases involving young
women although he didn't mention the individuals by name investigators looked into other unsolved cases from around
Charlotte at the time Bill lived there and found two that matched his ammo 21-year-old Denise porch lived with
her husband at an apartment complex in Southwest Charlotte where she also worked as the residential
manager at 8:00 p.m. on Monday July 21 1975 her husband returned home from a day out to find a note from Denise from
earlier saying she was going to sha an apartment to a prospective tenant the television and air
conditioner were still on 's purse was inside and her car was still parked outside but there was no sign of Denise
herself nor was there any sign of a struggle the years went by without a single trace of Denise surfacing or
anyone being held accountable for her disappearance at the time Larry Jean Bell lived just 300 yards
away on Thursday December 18 1980 the body of 17-year-old Beth Marie Hagen was found dumped in the woods near Mint
Hill she had been strangled with an electrical Court Bell lived just one mile away not only did this put him within
the vicinity of both unsolved crimes but like Sher Smith and Deborah May helmi Denise porch and Beth Hagen were blonds
who fit Belle's preferred victim type in September 1985 acting on a tip off police searched a sand pit at the
top soil company on Old peral Road owned by Larry Jean Bell's sister and brother-in-law suspicions were raised
that the bodies of Sandy cornette or Denise porch could be found there the search turned up nothing not a
single piece of evidence was found linking Bell to either of the three cold cases
by the time Bell's trial for the kidnapping and murder of Sher Smith commenced in February
1986 public interest in the case hadn't dissipated curious members of the public
lined up outside the courthouse vying for a seat inside with two women even breaking into a
fight Belle arrived with a shaved head and a homemade badge pinned to his shirt that
read I am the victim I am innocent Bell's defense lawyer didn't deny that his client was responsible for
sher's kidnapping but said there was no proof that he was guilty of murder either way the lawyer argued that
bill should be found not guilty due to mental illness according to the lawyer the
multiple calls that Bell had made to the Smith family were proof that he was mentally unstable delirious and out of
touch with reality he asked the jury how many rational people who had abducted someone and who may have caused
a death would call the Family collect so the call could be traced the prosecution argued that
anyone out of touch with reality would be incapable of tormenting sher's family the way that bill
did they believed that Bill's mentally unstable Behavior was all an act and that securing a conviction of not guilty
on account of mental illness would be a victory for Bell as one psychologist who had spent
significant time with bell testified he wasn't mentally ill he simply had no conscience and derived sexual pleasure
from the pain of others the prosecution lawyer asked the jury the question is simple whether or
not Larry Jan Bell could follow the law or whether or not Larry Jan Bell would would follow the
law from the outset of the trial Belle's conduct in court was unpredictable and disruptive he often interrupted
proceedings by calling out nonsensical comments when one psychiatrist testified that he was a sadistic sexual deviant
even though it was in his defense Bell turned to the Press row and said if you all believe that Mona Lisa is a
man in a risky move for the defense Bill also took the stand he wouldn't sit down saying there
are no chairs at the gates of hell he refused to answer even basic questions such as his age instead repeatedly
saying silence is golden at one point he told the Press I'm so confused ain't we having
fun later he turned to the jury and said Food For Thought gifted dumb or a fruit
cake you pick one but if the defense hoped that putting Bell on the stand would prove to
the jury how irrational he was their plan failed after closing arguments it took
the jury less than an hour to deliver their verdict guilty on both counts outside Court a reporter asked
Bel how he felt about the verdict he responded silence is golden my friend Bill's sentencing took place 2
days later at one point he turned to Dawn Smith in court and asked Dawn will you
marry me my singing Angel look into my eyes my Holy Angel he told the jury from the top of my head to the tips
of my feet I'm lusting for daor Elizabeth Smith I'd like to take her hand in holy matrimony that's the only
thing I'm guilty of the prosecution had implored the jury to impose the death penalty saying if
this isn't the type of case in which the state should seek the death penalty and
expect the death penalty then there is none the jury agreed but the kidnapping and murder of Sher smth Larry Jane Bell
was sentenced to death it was over a year before the family of Deborah May helck finally got
their day in court and it couldn't come soon enough young Woody helmi continued to
struggle in the wake of his sister's murder he was plagued by nightmares caused by witnessing the kidnapping and
was constantly terrified that the bad man would come back to get him him he refused to go anywhere
alone the helmic had no doubt that police had caught the right person as reported by the Colombia
record when Woody saw Larry Jean Bell in court during the Smith trial he turned to his mother and said he's the man that
took Debbie the helmets prepared themselves for Bill's court room Antics after he
once again pleaded not guilty to deborra May's kidnapping and murder but they needn't bother in contrast to his
previous trial Belle remained silent throughout the proceedings and showed no emotion the defense didn't call any
Witnesses introduce any new evidence or put Bell on the stand again it took the jury just 1 hour
to find Larry Jean Bell guilty on both counts and again he was sentenced to death
as Belle sat on death row appealing his sentences police received a tip off from
a young man who claimed his conscience had been eating away at him for years according to this informant in
1984 at the age of 15 he and a friend were hitchhiking along the interstate 85 Highway in Cherokee County Georgia Larry
Jean Bell picked them up and took them to a location 4 mil off the Highway Belle allegedly LED them to an
abandoned well where he showed the teenagers two dead bodies according to the informant Belle
warned if you don't do what I say that's what will happen to you investigators weren't sure what to
make of the claim but the timeline matched with Sandy cornett's disappearance so they weren't taking any
chances if Belle wasn't indeed responsible for sy's death they needed to work fast to secure a conviction
before his execution despite 8 years passing since this alleged incident the young man was
able to retrace his steps through the rural dirt roads and thick Woods of Cherokee
County he couldn't recall the exact location of the well but remembered that it was near an old ranch style Farmhouse
and a wooden bridge leading a search party of officers dozens of abandoned Wells were
located and through a process of elimination investigators honed in on one water was pumped from the well and a
high-tech camera was used to search within but no human remains were found throughout his time on death row
Belle's questionable Behavior continued one psychiatrist once found him naked and washing himself with water
from from the toilet bowl he claimed to be the second to Jesus Christ and that he bathed in his own urine because it
was holy water he told another psychiatrist that there was a bird in his cell who had
been sent to him by God according to Bell he could memorize even the most complex medical textbook
in one night as the years went on concerns were raised that b would be found incompetent
for execution due to mental illness once he'd exhausted all appeals a competency hearing was held to
determine whether he was mentally fit the judge concluded that bill was able to control his mental illness and
exaggerate his problems when it benefited him and therefore was competent for execution Sheriff James Mets told
reporters for News 19 he ruined the families of two beautiful young ladies he ruined the
community of Lexington and greater Colombia Larry Jan Bell deserves to die and he should have died a long time
ago Bell was given the option of lethal injection or electric chair he chose the electric chair
reasoning that there were similarities between the wood of the chair and the wood of the
crucifix the execution was scheduled for Friday October 4 199 26 just over 11 years after his arrest for the
murders Sher Smith's family chose not to attend but several of sher's friends gathered outside the prison Gates
holding candles in her memory Deborah May helmi's mother told news9 reporters that she felt she owed
it to her daughter to be there while she genuinely believed that Larry Jean Bell was mentally ill she
also believed he knew right from wrong and wanted to see him punished for the pain he' caused her
family Belle gave no last words if he knew anything about the crimes against Sandy cornette Denise porch or Beth
Hagen he took that knowledge to the [Music] Grave for the helmic family life was
never the same after the day that Deborah May was kidnapped her sister Becky who on the day of the
abduction had chosen to drive to work with her mother instead of staying behind to play with her siblings
continued to carry guilt for not being there for Deborah May in the leadup to Belle's execution
Becky wrote a statement about the impact of B's crimes saying that Deborah May was a sweet innocent girl who had never
been beyond her childhood years Becky explained she had so many hopes plans and dreams for the
future they just all shattered right in front of my 5-year-old eyes the girl's father Sherwood helmi
began drinking heavily to escape his overwhelming grief he'd spent hours just sitting and staring at photos of Deborah
May shortly after his daughter's murder Sherwood lost his job altogether he had a nervous breakdown
and was hospitalized where he received a treatment to overcome his alcohol abuse his wife worked parttime in a
struggle to keep up with the bills and to keep food on the table but it wasn't enough and the homix eventually lost
their home but the surrounding Community wasn't going to let them go down without
a fight residents of Lexington and Richland counties rallied together to raise money to help their homix get back
on their feet a chairperson for the fundraiser committee told the Colombia record Deborah May helmi is not the only
victim here her family still suffers every day they shouldn't have to worry about whether they have a roof over
their heads too conditions improved for the helmets but Sherwood and Deborah's marriage
didn't survive and they divorced in the leadup to Bill's execution Deborah May's mother found
comfort in her daughter favorite doll named Scotty whom she began sleeping with in the wake of the crime she told a
reporter for the state it's not like having her with me but it's the next best thing in Sher Smith's last will and
testament Sher had assured her family some good will come from this The Smiths clung to this
sentiment for them that final letter provid provided more closure than any legal
outcomes Sherry's father Bob continued to serve as chaplain for the sheriff's department at one point he accompanied
officers when they had the unfortunate task of notifying another couple that their daughter had been
killed when the agonized father of the victim realized who Bob was he threw his arms around
him Bob tearfully told a reporter for the prison fellowship that the two had an immediate B
saying God had me there for a reason in the Years following sher's murder her sister Dawn went on to win
the Miss South Carolina beauty contest she became a public figure spreading her message about the importance of keeping
faith no matter what life throws our way later appearing on the True Crime TV show eyewitness dawn
said in her final moments sh Sher didn't choose fear she chose faith and courage
losing Sher made me realize every day that what I have is a gift God's given me and I have a decision what am I going
to do with it I am going to choose faith [Music]

Case 261: Shari Smith & Debra May Helmick (Part 2)

*** Content warning: Sexual assault *** [Part 2 of 2] When nine-year-old Debra May Helmick was abducted from the front of her family’s trailer in Richland County, South Carolina, there were immediate concerns that her kidnapping could be linked to the recent murder of Lexington teenager, Shari Smith. Those fears were confirmed when Shari’s sister Dawn received a chilling phone call directing authorities to Debra May’s body.

The news that a serial killer was on the loose had South Carolina residents gripped by fear. As the investigation ramped up, a breakthrough clue finally emerged.

CREDITS

Narration – Anonymous Host Research & writing – Elsha McGill Creative direction – Milly Raso Production and music – Mike Migas Music – Andrew D.B. Joslyn

SOCIAL LINKS

Website https://www.casefilepodcast.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/casefile Twitter https://twitter.com/case_file Instagram https://www.instagram.com/casefilepodcast Patreon https://www.patreon.com/casefile Casefile Presents https://casefilepresents.com

RESOURCES

For all credits and sources, please visit https://casefilepodcast.com/case-261-shari-smith-debra-may-helmick-part-2

Brief Summary

The episode details the abduction and murder of Deborah May Helmi, linking it to the case of Sherie Smith and the arrest of Larry Jean Bell.

Key points

Deborah May's Abduction. On June 14, 1985, Deborah May Helmi was kidnapped from her home, sparking a frantic search.
Community in Fear. The abduction of Deborah May Helmi led to widespread panic in the community.
Deborah May's Funeral. Over 300 people gathered to mourn the loss of Deborah May, a smart young girl.
Breakthrough in Investigation. The discovery of a latent phone number on Sher Smith's letter leads to a major breakthrough.
Confession Attempts. Bell denies involvement in the murders but expresses guilt, leading to a tense meeting with victims' families.
The Arrest of Larry Jean Bell. Larry Jean Bell is arrested, shocking the community who knew him as friendly and likable.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

You've got a wacko out there and you never know what he might do.

Sherwood Helmi's desperate warning about the abductor.

10:10WatchSep 30, 2023

Tension

85/ 100High tension

More from Casefile

Solve the Crime

Read a real case one clue at a time, then see how your call held up against the investigators.