The sun had barely risen, and the haze from the previous night’s rain still lingered in the air. Kathleen Ruth Smiley, a bright and vivacious teenager, embarked on her journey to Lake Lanier with excitement bubbling in her chest. Little did she know that fate had other plans for her.
Kathy had been looking forward to this day for weeks. Her father, Dale Smiley, was in town for a rare visit, and the family had planned a day of swimming and picnicking at the lake. The previous night, Kathy had dreamt of laughter, sunshine, and the warmth of her family’s embrace. The morning felt like a fresh start, and she was eager to make the most of it.
Before setting off for the lake, Kathy and her sister Patricia met their father at a Denny’s for breakfast. After a hearty meal, Kathy realized she needed to fill up her car, a red 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, before they could embark on their adventure. Dale agreed to take Patricia in his car, while Kathy would meet them at the lake.
This decision would ultimately save Patricia’s life.
A Chance Encounter with Criminals
Kathy’s journey took an unexpected turn when her car ran out of gas. She pulled over on a desolate access road, her heart pounding with anxiety. She glanced around, taking in the eerie silence that enveloped her. Her eyes scanned the horizon for any sign of assistance, and that’s when she saw them: Pinkney Thomas Mitchell and Wallace Charles Lanford.
Mitchell and Lanford were on the run, their criminal pasts casting long shadows behind them. Desperate for money and a way back to their home state, they were hunting for an opportunity. And when they saw Kathy, they knew they had found it.
The two men approached the stranded teenager, offering to help her with her predicament. With no other options, Kathy reluctantly accepted their assistance. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in her gut, but she pushed it aside, telling herself she was merely being paranoid.
After purchasing a can of gasoline from a nearby gas station, the two men accompanied Kathy as she drove towards Lake Lanier. It was during this fateful drive that they gained control of both Kathy and her car, veering off course and heading towards a grim destination.
A Horrific Ending
Kathy’s family waited anxiously for her arrival at the lake, their excitement slowly replaced by worry as the hours ticked by. As the sun dipped below the horizon, they were forced to accept that something was terribly wrong.
Meanwhile, in the darkness of an abandoned schoolyard, a gruesome scene unfolded. The once thriving Lincoln Academy was now a mere shell of its former self, its walls echoing with the whispers of forgotten memories. It was here that Mitchell and Lanford decided to carry out their nefarious deeds.
They bound Kathy to a tree with wire, gagging her with even more wire threaded through her mouth and around her hands. She was stabbed seven times and hit on the head, her body left disfigured and unrecognizable. Her life was snuffed out in an instant, a cruel twist of fate that left her dreams and aspirations forever unfulfilled.
The murderers attempted to cover their tracks by setting fire to Kathy’s Volkswagen, the flames illuminating the darkness as they licked the car’s exterior.
But they couldn’t erase the scars they had inflicted on the world.
The following evening, a local citizen stumbled upon the gruesome scene. The sight of Kathy’s lifeless body, still bound to the tree, sent shivers down their spine. The police were notified immediately, and a chilling investigation began.
As they pieced together the tragic events that led to Kathy’s murder, the police were able to track down Mitchell and Lanford. The two men were arrested, charged with Kathy’s murder, and eventually found guilty. They were both sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The community breathed a collective sigh of relief, knowing that these monsters were off the streets, unable to harm anyone else.
However, the Smiley family’s suffering was far from over. The pain of losing Kathy haunted them every day, her absence a constant reminder of the cruelty that had befallen their beloved daughter and sister. They grappled with a myriad of emotions, from grief and anger to guilt and despair. Life, it seemed, would never be the same.
The Haunted Legacy of Lincoln Academy
As the years passed, the case of Kathleen Ruth Smiley became the subject of numerous articles, documentaries, and even a bestselling novel. Her tragic death served as a cautionary tale, urging people to be more cautious of the strangers they encountered and the situations they found themselves in.
Though her life was cut tragically short, Kathy’s story lived on, her memory preserved in the hearts and minds of those who mourned her. The people who knew her best chose to honor her memory by focusing on the bright, vivacious girl who brought joy to their lives, rather than dwelling on the gruesome details of her demise.
Lake Lanier, the site of the family outing that never happened, became a place of reflection and remembrance for the Smiley family. They would gather there each year on the anniversary of Kathy’s death, their hearts heavy with grief but also filled with the love they still held for their lost daughter and sister. They would sit by the water’s edge, sharing stories of the happy times they had spent with Kathy, allowing her spirit to live on through their memories.
The tragic murder of Kathleen Ruth Smiley at the abandoned Lincoln Academy site in 1974 has left a lasting impact on the community, giving rise to numerous rumors and stories about hauntings and paranormal activities at the location. Over the years, locals and paranormal enthusiasts alike have reported inexplicable events, chilling apparitions, and a lingering sense of malevolence surrounding the area. Some attribute these occurrences to the gruesome murder of Kathleen, while others suggest that the spirits of the once thriving educational institution have been awakened by the tragedy.
The abandoned Lincoln Academy, once a reputable boarding school for African American girls, now lies in ruins. The once bustling halls, classrooms, and dormitories have been reclaimed by nature, leaving behind only remnants of the institution’s former glory. However, whispers of paranormal activity and ghostly encounters have persisted in the years since Kathleen Smiley’s murder.
Many claim to have witnessed apparitions of a young woman, believed to be the spirit of Kathleen herself, wandering the grounds, her anguished cries echoing through the air. Others have reported strange lights and inexplicable cold spots, fueling rumors of restless spirits still bound to the site.
One particularly eerie tale involves the tree to which Kathleen’s body was found tied. Despite being cut down multiple times, the tree has allegedly grown back each time, and some visitors have even reported the smell of rotten flesh lingering in its vicinity. This chilling phenomenon has led some to believe that the tree harbors a dark energy connected to the murder.
In addition to the stories of Kathleen’s restless spirit, tales of satanic rituals and devil worship have also emerged. Rumors suggest that a group of Satanists may have been involved in the crime, framing the two convicted men, Mitchell and Lanford, and using Kathleen’s body as part of a demonic ritual. While these claims remain unsubstantiated, they have contributed to the sinister reputation of the Lincoln Academy site.
As the years have passed, the haunted legacy of the Lincoln Academy continues to draw the curious and the brave, seeking answers to the unexplained events that have come to define this tragic location. Though the school itself is long gone, the memory of Kathleen Ruth Smiley and the dark forces that may still linger within the academy’s ruins serve as a chilling reminder of the past and the secrets it may still hold.
Deep Lore 