The Tragic Case of Gavin Smith: West Virginia Teen Brutally Murdered His Family After Being Forbidden to See His Girlfriend
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| Gavin Smith |
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| Daniel Dale Long and Risa Mae Saunders-Long |
In the months leading up to the horrific murders, tensions within Gavin Smith's household were at an all-time high.
Much of this strain was tied to his relationship with Rebecca Walker, his then-girlfriend.
Both Gavin’s mother, Risa Mae Saunders, and his stepfather, Daniel Dale Long, were strongly against the relationship.
They believed it was a negative influence on the teenager.
Despite their disapproval, Gavin was determined to continue seeing Rebecca.
They often communicated secretly through text messages and video calls.
During these conversations, Walker encouraged Gavin to stand up against his family’s restrictions.
This caused Gavin's relationship with his family to deteriorate, leading to a tense and volatile atmosphere at home.
Gavin Smith even tried to run away from home multiple times due to these issues with his girlfriend.
However, his family discovered his plans, resulting in repeated confrontations
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| Rebecca Walker |
As their relationship faced increasing scrutiny, Gavin’s behavior started to change.
The family’s decision to forbid him from seeing Rebecca made him extremely angry.
Witnesses, including close family friends, later reported a drastic shift in Gavin's mood in the weeks leading up to the tragedy.
They described him as becoming more withdrawn, frustrated, and quick to anger, especially after being grounded or restricted from using his phone to communicate with Rebecca.
At this point, which Gavin Smith saw as a breaking point, he began contemplating murder as a way to solve his problems.
He saw eliminating his family as the only way to be with Rebecca freely.
He confided his darkest thoughts to his girlfriend, Rebecca, who, rather than discouraging him, encouraged his destructive mindset.
Rebecca Walker’s influence over Gavin was a significant factor in the build-up to the murders.
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| Daniel Dale Long and his sons |
The Horrific Night — December 9, 2020
Timeline of the Murders
On the evening of December 9, 2020, a horrific tragedy unfolded inside the quiet Elkview home of the Long family.
Gavin Smith made a chilling decision to murder his entire family after they forbade him from seeing his girlfriend, Rebecca Walker.
That night, Gavin was home alone with his mother, stepfather, and two younger brothers.
Armed with a gun and knife, he decided to carry out a plan that he had reportedly been contemplating for weeks.
Between late evening and the early hours of December 10, Gavin executed his plan.
He first shot his mother, Risa Mae Saunders, and stepfather, Daniel Dale Long, while they slept in their bedroom.
He delivered close-range gunshots to their heads, killing them instantly.
He then moved to his brothers' room, where he fatally shot Gage Ripley, before turning his weapon on the youngest, Jameson Long, just 3 years old.
According to court statements, Jameson was found hiding under his crib, tragically unable to escape his brother's rampage.
After the murders, Gavin stayed in the house for some time, attempting to clean up the evidence.
He tried to cover his tracks by disposing of the weapon but ultimately left the crime scene in disarray.
It wasn’t until four days later, on December 13, 2020, that concerned relatives, who hadn't heard from the family, made the grim discovery.
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| The crime scene |
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| Gavin Smith in court |
On December 13, 2020, authorities were alerted to a horrifying scene in Elkview, West Virginia.
The police discovered the four lifeless bodies inside the Long home after receiving a call from a concerned family member, who hadn't heard from the family for days.
The victims—Risa Mae Saunders, her husband Daniel Dale Long, and their two sons, Gage Ripley and Jameson Long—were all found shot in the head at close range.
The brutal nature of the killings, with all victims shot execution-style, immediately suggested a targeted, premeditated attack.
The investigation quickly focused on the sole survivor of the family, 16-year-old Gavin Smith, who was apprehended shortly after the bodies were found.
When authorities arrested Gavin, he appeared surprisingly calm.
He was reported to have initially tried to shift the blame onto Rebecca, claiming she manipulated him into committing the murders.
However, the overwhelming evidence against him—including Rebecca's testimony and digital footprints of their conversations—left little doubt about his guilt .
Text messages between Gavin and Rebecca revealed chilling details.
Rebecca continuously encouraged Gavin to commit the murders.
While Rebecca tried to claim innocence, her admission of actively pushing Gavin to carry out the killings strengthened the prosecution's case against both of them .
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| Gavin Smith during his interogation |
The Trial and Sentencing
In December 2020, Gavin Smith, was charged with four counts of first-degree murder for the killings of his mother, Risa Mae Saunders, his stepfather, Daniel Dale Long, and his two young brothers, Jameson Long, and Gage Ripley.
He was also slammed with additional charges related to the use of a firearm during a felony.
The trial included emotional and disturbing testimony, particularly from Rebecca Walker, Smith's girlfriend at the time.
Smith's defense, led by his attorney John Sullivan, argued that his actions were the result of a "frustrated teenager."
He claimed that Smith acted impulsively, driven by a relationship he valued more than his family.
However, the jury found Smith guilty on all counts.
The emotional testimony from Smith's grandparents, who lost their son and grandchildren, emphasized the horrific nature of the crime.
At sentencing, Smith expressed deep remorse, saying, "I do regret this, and if I could, I would take it back because it is one of my deepest regrets."
Despite this, Judge Kenneth Ballard described the killings as "acts of pure evil," particularly the cold-blooded way Smith executed his family.
The judge sentenced Smith to three life sentences with the possibility of parole after 15 years, in accordance with West Virginia law for juveniles who commit murder.
In addition, Smith received 40 years for the second-degree murder of his 12-year-old brother and 10 years for using a firearm in the commission of a felony.
Rebecca Walker, who had cooperated with authorities, pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact to first-degree murder and received a 10-year sentence.
She will be eligible for parole in 2023.
Though she avoided murder charges, her role in encouraging Smith to commit the murders left her with significant legal consequences.
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| Rebecca Walker |
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