Acting US Ambassador on Murder of American Family: We Are Shocked

Acting United States Ambassador to Georgia, Elizabeth Rood, has thanked Georgian law enforcers for the timely arrest of the suspect in the murder of the American husband and wife - Ryan Smith, Founder and Director of ReWoven, and his wife, Lora, as well as their 4-year-old child Caleb, who were found dead in Khada Gorge, Dusheti, Georgia.

The acting ambassador expressed her concern over the case, saying the whole embassy is shocked.

“We are shocked by the fact and very saddened that Brian Smith, his wife and son, were tragically killed. They had been living in Georgia for a long time and were contributing to the development of the economy with their work. Along with the Georgian Government, we offer our condolences to the family of the deceased,” she stated.

Yesterday, Georgian citizens and foreigners brought flowers and candles to the US embassy in Tbilisi in solidarity to the killed family.

The husband and wife were citizens of the US but had Georgian citizenship, received in 2012. They had lived in the town of Marneuli for seven years and were well respected members of the local and expat community.

The search were launched on July 6 after the family could not be contacted. Georgia’s Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) made a statement on Monday that a 19-year-old man had been arrested on murder charges, saying on July 4, after a confrontation, he shot Ryan Smith and his son and while the wife was trying to escape, she fell into the ravine and died.

MIA added the suspect then buried the body of the child to hide the crime, which was later discovered by police officers.

If found guilty, he faces life imprisonment.

By Thea Morrison

Related stories:

MIA Confirms American Family Were Murdered in Dusheti

ReWoven & Beyond, Republished in Memory of the Smith Family

Murder in the Mountains: Investigation Ongoing

Geo Media: Deceased US Couple May Have Been Murdered