The Murder of Marie Sandra Smith, November 1977

Marie was born Marie Sandra Abbatiello on March 8, 1947 in Nassau County, NY to parents Thomas Martin Abbatiello and Lucy M Caggiano. She often went by her middle name, Sandra. She had a younger sister named Philomena. The family was of Italian descent.

Marie moved to Colorado sometime after 1963, possibly by 1966. She married a Black man named Shelton Edward Smith Jr (b. 1952) on October 13, 1976 in Denver, CO. Shelton's name is sometimes misspelled as Sheldon. Sandra took her husband's last name.  

[Note: CBI & Denver Cold Cases got her name wrong: it's Marie not Maria, she  often went by her middle name, Sandra, and she did not hyphenate her surname; instead her legal last name was Smith.] 

Photo from the Denver Police Department.

 

By November 1977, Marie, 30, was working at the Airman's Club on the Lowry Air Force Base. She lived at 215 E 11th Ave with her husband Shelton.

Shelton reported his wife missing on Sunday, November 20th, 1977.

Marie's body was discovered in a vacant field on Saturday, November 26, 1977. She had been strangled to death by an unknown killer. The body was found behind a duplex at 741 Mariposa St in Denver. Very few details are available in her case, which has since gone cold.

Anyone with information regarding Marie or her murder is urged to call the Denver PD at (720) 913-2000. The agency case number is 77-409341.

Tipsters who wish to remain anonymous may also call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 720-913-STOP (7867). Callers may receive a reward of up to $2,000.

Note: Marie went missing four days before Thanksgiving. See the Holidays & Events Reference Page for an explanation as to why this is being mentioned. 

Sources

CBI

Denver Cold Cases 

The Rocky Mountain News 11/28/77 

Obituary   [very bottom of clipping] 

WebSleuths

Count Every Mystery blog