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Susan Smith remains incarcerated at Leath Correctional Institution in South Carolina. The latest official South Carolina Department of Corrections report identified in this review lists Smith, SCDC ID 00221487, as serving two active life sentences for murder. It gives her admission date as July 28, 1995, and lists a projected parole-eligibility date of November 20, 2026—not a release date.
As of August 12, 2026, no source reviewed here indicates that Smith has been granted parole or released. The official report is versioned August 11, 2026; it lists her age as 54 on that report, although her date of birth is not displayed. The record can be checked through the South Carolina Department of Corrections inmate report.
Why Susan Smith is in prison
Smith is serving two life sentences after being convicted of murdering her sons, Michael and Alex, in Union County, South Carolina. Michael was 3 years old and Alex was 14 months old when Smith allowed her car to roll into John D. Long Lake with the children inside.
Smith initially told authorities and the public that a Black carjacker had taken the car while her sons were inside. She repeated that account for nine days before confessing. The false report wrongly implicated a Black man and intensified racial tensions during the search for the children. The case was covered in detail by The State.
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At trial, prosecutors argued that Smith killed the children to remove an obstacle to a relationship with Tom Findlay, the wealthy son of her employer’s owner. That was the prosecution’s motive theory; it should not be presented as an uncontested explanation of Smith’s psychology.
The jury did not impose the death penalty. Instead, Smith received life imprisonment for each murder conviction. Because the sentence was imposed under South Carolina law in effect at the time, she became eligible to seek parole after serving 30 years. Later South Carolina law treats life sentences for comparable violent crimes differently, but those later rules do not change the sentence imposed in Smith’s case.
Her parole status
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| July 28, 1995 | SCDC lists Smith’s admission date. |
| November 20, 2024 | Her first parole hearing ended in a denial, recorded as “REJECT.” |
| November 19, 2026 | The next hearing was reported as scheduled for this date. |
| November 20, 2026 | SCDC’s official inmate report lists this as her projected parole-eligibility date. |
A parole-eligibility date is not a projected release date. It means the prisoner may be considered for parole under the applicable rules. The board can deny release, and a denial means the person remains in prison.
What happened at the 2024 hearing?
Smith’s first parole hearing took place on November 20, 2024, after the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services announced the hearing. The official hearing-outcomes document records a “REJECT” decision for SCDC inmate 00221487 on that date.
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The parole board voted unanimously to deny release. Smith appeared by video from prison, apologized for the murders, and said she would change what happened if she could. Her attorney argued that untreated mental-health problems had played a role and that Smith posed a low risk to the public because she had no prior criminal history. Those statements were arguments made at the hearing, not findings that establish Smith’s current medical or psychological condition.
David Smith, the children’s father and Susan Smith’s former husband, opposed parole and told the board that the killings had permanently changed his life. Relatives, prosecutors, and law-enforcement officials also spoke against release. According to reporting by The State, the board received 471 letters and emails, including six that supported parole. The result is also documented in the official hearing-outcomes PDF. The Associated Press reported on Smith’s apology, her attorney’s arguments, and the opposition to release in its account of the hearing.
When is Susan Smith’s next parole hearing?
After the 2024 denial, South Carolina rules allowed Smith to reapply after two years. The next hearing has been reported as scheduled for November 19, 2026. However, the SCDC inmate report lists November 20, 2026 as the projected parole-eligibility date. That one-day difference should be stated rather than silently resolved: November 19 is the reported hearing date, while November 20 is the official projected-eligibility entry in the corrections record.
A scheduled hearing also does not guarantee that Smith will be paroled. The board’s decision, any conditions it might impose, and the timing of any release would determine what happens next. As of the latest information reviewed for this article, there is no reported grant of parole or release.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteWhat public records say about her life in prison
The current SCDC report provides selected information about Smith’s institutional record, but it is not a complete biography or day-to-day account of her incarceration. It lists several disciplinary sanctions:
- A 2010 incident classified as mutilation.
- Drug-related incidents in 2010 and 2015.
- Unauthorized use of another inmate’s PIN in 2012.
- An August 26, 2024 violation classified as communicating with a victim and/or witness of a crime.
The listed penalties included temporary loss of telephone, visitation, canteen, tablet, or other privileges. Some incidents also resulted in disciplinary detention. SCDC specifically warns that sanctions from before January 2009 are not available in its automated system. Therefore, the incidents displayed in the report should not be described as a complete record of every disciplinary event during Smith’s imprisonment.
The State reported in April 2026 that Smith had no disciplinary actions recorded since the 2024 parole hearing. That is a report of her status at that time, not a guarantee about her conduct after publication.
Her prison work and training
The SCDC record lists past institutional assignments including teacher’s assistant, bookkeeper, senior teacher assistant, secretary, canteen operator, and general worker. It also lists custodial-services and horticultural on-the-job training and a WorkKeys Silver credential.
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The same record says Smith had no earned education credits during her current incarceration. An older 2017 report based on records obtained by PEOPLE described her working in prison landscaping after previously holding a senior groundskeeper position. Because the newer official SCDC report controls for her current location and listed status, the older account is best treated as historical context rather than a current job description. That earlier reporting is summarized by TIME.
Why she was transferred to Leath Correctional Institution
Smith’s transfer to Leath is part of the historical record of her incarceration, not evidence of a current disciplinary matter. A former prison guard admitted having sexual contact with her, and a 2001 Washington Post report described the guard’s firing and Smith’s transfer. Later reporting identified the guard as Houston Cagle and described criminal consequences. These events occurred years ago and should not be confused with Smith’s present parole status or current prison placement.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is not publicly established
Official records establish Smith’s convictions, sentence, current listed institution, parole history, selected disciplinary incidents, and listed work assignments. They do not provide a complete picture of:
- Her daily routine or living conditions.
- Her current relationships or private communications.
- Her medical condition or the details of any mental-health treatment.
- Whether she has experienced rehabilitation in ways not recorded in the public documents.
- What the parole board will decide at a future hearing.
Those limits matter particularly in a case that has generated decades of intense media coverage. Claims about Smith’s motives, mental health, emotions, or private prison life should be attributed to a source or omitted rather than treated as established fact.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Susan Smith still in prison?
Yes. The latest official SCDC report reviewed here lists Susan Smith at Leath Correctional Institution. As of August 12, 2026, no reviewed source indicates that she has been released.
When can Susan Smith next seek parole?
Her next parole hearing was reported as scheduled for November 19, 2026. The SCDC inmate report lists November 20, 2026, as her projected parole-eligibility date, creating a one-day discrepancy between the two records.
Does parole eligibility mean Susan Smith will be released?
No. Eligibility only means that she can be considered. Her first hearing, on November 20, 2024, ended in a unanimous denial, and a future hearing could also result in continued imprisonment.
What is Susan Smith’s sentence?
Smith has two active murder convictions, each carrying a life sentence. She was sentenced under the South Carolina law in effect at the time, which allowed her to become eligible for parole consideration after 30 years.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Susan Smith is still incarcerated at Leath Correctional Institution as of the latest official record reviewed. She remains under two life sentences, was denied parole unanimously in 2024, and has a reported parole hearing on November 19, 2026; SCDC lists November 20, 2026, as the projected eligibility date. No release has been reported.
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