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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesSusan Smith’s next parole hearing is scheduled for November 19, 2026, according to The State’s April 21, 2026 report. The hearing has not yet taken place. Although the Associated Press reported that Smith had phone and text conversations with several men while in prison, its account does not confirm that she is discussing marriage with a boyfriend.
What is known about Susan Smith’s relationship claim?
The marriage claim is not established by the available reporting. The Associated Press reported that Smith could make phone calls and receive texts in prison. Some messages came from journalists and men interested in her; the AP also described men talking about future plans and offering her housing and a happy life after prison. That reporting does not verify a proposal, engagement, wedding plans, or a conversation about marriage with a particular boyfriend.
It is therefore more accurate to say that reporting documented communications with men, not that Smith is planning to marry one of them. The AP’s account of the messages appeared in its November 20, 2024 coverage.
When is Susan Smith’s next parole hearing?
The State reported on April 21, 2026, that Smith had reapplied for parole and that her next hearing was scheduled for November 19, 2026. That is a future hearing date, not a decision on her release. According to the same report, state law requires an inmate convicted of a violent crime to wait two years before applying again.
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Was Susan Smith denied parole?
Yes. Smith’s first parole application was unanimously denied in November 2024, after she had served 30 years. The Associated Press also reported the denial on November 20, 2024. Her ex-husband, David Smith, the father of the boys, opposed her release. The State quoted him saying, “God gave us free choice. She made free choice that night to end their lives,” and, “She changed my life for the rest of my life that night.”
In its April 2026 report, The State said the parole board had received 471 letters and emails, six of which supported Smith’s release. That is the outlet’s reported count of correspondence received by the board; it should not be read as a measure of public opinion overall.
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What happened in the case?
On October 25, 1994, Smith let her car roll into John D. Long Lake in Union County, South Carolina, with her sons Michael and Alex strapped into their car seats, according to The State’s account. She initially claimed that a Black man had taken the car with the children inside and maintained that story for 10 days before confessing to Union County Sheriff Howard Wells.
A jury convicted Smith of two counts of murder. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, but the jury spared her and she was sentenced to life in prison. Smith’s case has drawn attention not only for the killings, but also for the competing explanations presented by the prosecution and defense.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →What arguments were made at the 2024 parole hearing?
Those explanations were arguments made by the parties, not settled findings about Smith’s motive or mental health.
The prosecution’s account
At the 2024 hearing, prosecutors argued that Smith believed her children were the reason a wealthy man had ended their affair, according to the Associated Press. This should be described as the prosecution’s position, not stated as a definitive account of her motive.
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The defense’s account
The defense presented mental-health arguments, including that Smith intended to die with her children but left the car at the last moment, the AP reported. In 2026, Smith’s attorney, Tommy Thomas, told the parole board that untreated mental-health issues contributed to her actions, including the impact of her father’s suicide when she was six, according to The State. Those are counsel’s arguments; they do not, by themselves, establish an independent diagnosis.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What Smith said during the parole process
The State reported that Smith said at her 2024 parole hearing, “I know what I did was horrible and I would give anything if I could go back and change it.” The statement was reported in the outlet’s April 2026 coverage of her renewed parole application.
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