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Frank Smith dies at 101
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Frank Smith, who served 70 years for a 1949 murder, died at 101. His case raises questions about extreme prison sentences and aging inmates.
Background
Frank Smith was convicted of fatally shooting a Connecticut yacht club's night watchman during a 1949 robbery. He was sentenced to death in 1950, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He always maintained his innocence. His 70-year incarceration is among the longest in American history.
How it unfolded
- 1949Smith fatally shot a night watchman during a robbery in Connecticut.
- 1950He was sent to death row, but his sentence was later commuted to life imprisonment.
- Jun 25, 2026Smith died at a nursing home in Rocky Hill, Conn., at age 101.
- Aug 21, 2026His death was reported by The Boston Globe and Greenwich Time, and confirmed by the Connecticut Department of Correction.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- The Connecticut Department of Correction confirmed his death, noting he had been paroled to a nursing home.
Still unverified
Smith's claims of innocence were never proven, and his exact age at death is based on reported birth year.