Neighbors Who See Stabbing Kick Ass
The Murder of Sgt. Christina Loehrke Smith
Friday, October 3, 2008 at 10:03 am
Fayetteville, NC -- The attacker came out of nowhere. One moment, Christina Loehrke Smith and her husband Richard D. Smith, Army Sgts at Fort Bragg, were just taking a walk. The next thing they knew, Christina was being stabbed by an unknown assailant.
Passersby heard Christina screaming. They came running to find the woman in a pool of blood, lying on Baxter Street. Someone called 911.
It was too late. Christina E. Loehrke Smith, former high school valedictorian and exemplary soldier, died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.
Sgt. Richard Smith was apparently injured as well. He was treated at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center and released.
An accomplished woman was dead and police had no description of her alleged random attacker.
By now, the way this sort of story unfolds should be obvious: no description of the killer; a husband and wife alone, in the dark, on 'a walk'; a random, seemingly motiveless attacker; no mention of robbery or attempted sexual assault. As anyone who follows many stories like this probably could have predicted, the most likely suspect was there the entire time.
And he has just been arrested along with another man.
Police in Fayetteville have arrested both Richard Smith and 18-year-old Pfc. Mathew Kvapil. Smith and Kvapil have been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and -- obviously -- murder.
The conspiracy to commit is just one of the many curious aspects of this case. How did 26-year-old Smith and young Kvapil arrive at such a pass? The answer will certainly be interesting, to say the least.
Christina Smith was an impressive woman in accomplishment -- one news article listed her awards and decorations. They included the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Christina also took the Army's Warrior Leader Course.
A blogger who once worked with Christina Smith -- prior to her marriage to her alleged killer -- posted a telling anecdote after hearing of Christina's murder. The story said more about this deceased soldier than any list of awards really could:
Not long before she resigned to move to Texas with her (now) husband, she joined a few of us on the MS 150 Charity Ride for Multiple Sclerosis. We all had expensive road bikes, biking gear and were pretty serious riders. Christina had her 10-speed from high school and tennis shoes. But she trained for it and gathered a lot of pledges. That year, the organizers changed the route and instead of the gentle spin through the countryside that we expected, it was a grueling, hilly, torturous 75 mile course. At about mile 35, we urged Christina to quit. Heck, we were considering it. She wouldn't hear of it. She completed the 75 on Saturday and over dinner, we told her not to bother for Sunday. Again, she wouldn't hear of it. She was there at the start at 7 am Sunday and completed the ride. It was an incredible performance, and she was at work before me on Monday morning...
If Richard Smith and Pfc. Kvapil truly did plan and execute the murder of an estimable young woman like Christina Loehrke Smith, I have to wonder if he just felt he couldn't measure up to a woman like her. As destructive as murder is, it is usually the last resort of an ultimately inadequate man.
[KYPost.com and FayObserver.com.]
Tags: Army, Fayetteville NC, Fort Bragg, Pfc. Mathew Kvapil, Sgt. Christina Loehrke Smith, Sgt. Richard Smith
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