Convicted killer and rapist Joseph Smith, 55, died in a Florida prison on Monday. His cause of death is unknown
A convicted child killer has died at a Florida prison 17 years after he kidnapped, raped, and murdered an 11-year-old-girl - and three years after his death sentence was vacated due to a legal loophole.
Joseph Smith, 55, died while in custody at Union Correctional Institution in Raiford, Florida on Monday. His cause of death is unknown.
Smith, then 39, was convicted in 2006 of the kidnapping, rape, and murder of 11-year-old Carlie Brucia.
The Florida State Attorney's Office released a statement saying, 'While nothing can bring back Carlie. we are grateful that her family, her friends, and the entire Sarasota community will finally have closure and will not have to endure any further court proceedings to bring Smith to justice.'
Carlie's father Joe told FOX 13, 'I feel wonderful,' when he heard the news of Smith's passing. 'It's long overdue. The inept and corrupt criminal justice system could not get it done, so the natural order of things finally took care of it.'
Smith was sentenced to the death penalty by lethal injection, by a jury's vote of 10-2 in March 2006 but in 2018 that sentence was vacated, because the death row decision wasn't unanimous, the court stated in its opinion, pursuant to a 2016 ruling.
This came despite that fact that Smith was caught on a surveillance camera grabbing the pre-teen by the arm, and dragging her away to her ultimate death.
Tape taken from the scene of Brucia's abduction on February 1, 2004, showed Smith approaching the young girl in an isolated area in a parking lot.
The young lady was walking home from a friend's house , passing behind Evie's Car Wash at 4715 Bee Ridge Road in Sarasota, according to the Bradenton Herald.
Brucia was 11 years old when Smith tracked her to an isolated parking lot and abducted her
Tape taken from the scene of Brucia's abduction on February 1, 2004, showed Smith approaching the young girl in an isolated area in a parking lot
Joseph Brucia, Carlie Brucia's father, said he feeld 'wonderful' about Smith's death
She was looking down as she walked, until Smith approached and grabbed her arm.
The two were seen standing there for a moment, until Smith led her away by the wrist.
Brucia's body was then found four nights later, on the grounds of Central Church of Christ at 6221 Proctor Road, after having been raped and murdered.
Smith was arrested and confessed to the crime before her body was found.
It was revealed throughout his trial that Smith was an unemployed auto mechanic and convicted drug abuser with a long record, who had recently violated probation, but was released prior to his attack on Brucia.
Since being placed on death row in March of 2006, Smith has tried repeatedly to appeal the sentence.
Smith (left) was caught on surveillance camera on February 1, 2004, grabbing Carlie Brucia (right), age 11, by the arm, and dragging her away to her ultimate death
He was denied repeatedly, until the Supreme Court of Florida held in 2016's
