Shivangi Sinha
In December 2005, the remains of a woman were discovered by pheasant hunters in a rural area of Curry County, New Mexico. They were later identified as those of Laura McNaughton, a mother of two who had worked as a waitress at a local restaurant. The case had very few leads when the investigation began, but a tip from her family eventually led police to the person who was ultimately identified as the perpetrator. NBC’s ‘Dateline’, particularly the episode ‘Hunted’, looks at the various aspects of the case and remembers the life that was taken far too soon.
Laura McNaughton’s Remains Were Found in a Rural Area by Two Hunters
Laura McNaughton was born on August 24, 1975, in San Diego, California. Her parents, David and Maria “Lucky” Moreno Beardmore, raised her and her three sisters, Jacqueline, Maria, and Krystal, with plenty of love and affection. Laura was always a headstrong woman who wanted to make her own way in life. When she was blessed with her two daughters, Madalin and Kelsey McNaughton, she was ecstatic and wanted nothing more than to give them the best life possible. By 2002, she had moved to Clovis, New Mexico, where she was working hard to build a good life for herself and her family.
Laura had started working at the Rib Crib, a beloved local restaurant, but that was not all she wanted to do. She had also enrolled at Wayland Baptist University, hoping to earn a bachelor’s degree. Balancing her studies with a full-time job and raising her children was not easy, but she never shied away from giving her best at every opportunity. It was this optimism that truly won over the hearts of everyone she met. On December 10, 2005, some pheasant hunters discovered the remains of a woman, with no clothes on, in a rural area of Curry County. They contacted the police, and the remains were subsequently identified as those of Laura. According to her autopsy, she had suffered blunt force trauma to her head, along with several scratches and scrapes on her body. The cause of death was determined to be strangulation.
Laura McNaughton’s Killer Attempted to Harm Himself Before a Polygraph Test
An immediate homicide investigation was launched, during which police officers first spoke to Laura McNaughton’s family. They told investigators that she had complained about receiving unwanted attention from someone she referred to as “Dr. Smith.” This tip led police to James Smith, a dentist whom Laura had visited. According to his later statement, he had first met Laura at the restaurant where she worked. He was subsequently called in for questioning. However, court documents from the time revealed that he had stopped at a car wash to get his truck cleaned before arriving at the police station.
When officers asked for his permission to search his truck, he agreed. Initially, he denied knowing Laura but consented to undergo a polygraph examination. According to police reports from the time, the day before the examination was scheduled to take place, Smith stabbed himself and left a note for his wife in which he denied any involvement in the case. He was taken to the hospital, where he recovered, but further evidence soon emerged against him. A search of his truck yielded hair that matched Laura’s, along with debris that matched the location where her remains had been discovered.
Other forensic evidence that emerged against the dentist included blood found in his truck, which was matched to the victim. Police also executed search warrants at his home and office. They stated that they had allegedly discovered videos and images depicting the killings of women. During his interrogations, Smith claimed that he had “become friendly” with Laura after seeing her at the restaurant. He added that on the night of the incident, he had followed her home after having a few drinks. According to his account, he knocked on her door and asked her to come with him, and she allegedly agreed. He claimed that they then returned to his house. In his statement, he said, “There was no sexual contact but I proceeded to choke her with her (alleged) consent.” He further recounted that she had died during the act.
James Smith is Serving His Sentence in a New Mexico Prison Today
Upon his arrest, James Smith was initially charged with one count of murder. He was later indicted on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree criminal sexual penetration, and three counts of tampering with evidence. In December 2006, he entered an Alford plea to first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, attempted criminal sexual penetration, and one count of tampering with evidence.
He was sentenced to life in prison for the murder, along with 18 years for kidnapping and nine years for attempted rape, to be served consecutively. He also received a three-year sentence for tampering with evidence, to run concurrently with the nine-year term. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender and pay restitution to fund counseling for Laura’s children. He is currently being held at the Northwest New Mexico Correctional Center in Grants, New Mexico.
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