CARLIE BRUCIA

March 16, 1992 – February 1, 2004

Missing: 2/1/04 Age: 11

 

Eleven year old Carlie Brucia was abducted on her way home from a slumber party in Sarasota, Florida on February 1, 2004. Her abductor, Joseph P. Smith, was  a cocaine addict on a binge. Deciding to take a short cut home, Carlie crossed behind a carwash where Smith grabbed her and led her to a borrowed car.

Noticing Carlie’s fifteen minute trip took longer than usual, Carlie’s mother phoned police. Under the impression that an AMBER alert was going out for her daughter.   Although Carlie’s situation was more than qualified for an AMBER alert, one never went out. The local police decided to use  bloodhounds for Carlie’s search, but her tracks ended at the car wash were police later acquired a copy of a nearby security footage of the abduction. Not until then was an AMBER alert sent out.

The footage was sent to local news broadcasters. More than 800 calls were made to give information on who was the abductor. More than one call suspected the abductor as Joe Smith.

Once in custody of the police, Smith was interrogated, but  only confessed  to the crime after his mother and brother begged him.

After a full investigation it was found that Carlie fought for her life . Similarly, Carlie’s parents fought to bring her struggles and murder to justice. Joseph P. Smith was indicted for first-degree murder and charges of kidknapping and capital sexual battery on February 20, 2004. On March 15, 2006, the day before what would have been Carlie’s fourteenth birthday, Smith was sentenced to two terms of life imprisonment for kidnapping and sexual battery as well as the death penalty by lethal injection.