Postmarked For Murder

48 Hours Mystery: A Son Learns His Dad's 'Suicide' Was Murder

(CBS)  Now, 58 years after the loss of his father, Herb hopes the facts surrounding Buddy's death will be uncovered with the exhumation of his body.

As it stands right now, all Herb really has to go on is an anonymous letter sent by Smith describing a horrific murder: "Buddy was gagged and could not say anything. He beat Buddy across the buttocks a few times with the hose and asked him how he liked that. He then beat me with the hose. I thought he was going to kill me."

What started out as an attempt by Smith to make her boyfriend jealous had backfired, when he and two friends beat her and Buddy.

"I feel sorry for her that she got in that position," said Herb. "I do, however, believe that she would feel a great deal better if she came forward and talked to us. She owes that to us."

According to Smith, at least one of the three perpetrators is still alive: "If I told you when, or what he did, you'd be able to identify him, and I cannot do that. I am not trying to protect him, but there are innocent people who have no idea of what actually happened."

But just what happened that night might be revealed in the autopsy. Forensic pathologist Dr. Joseph Guileyardo, part of the autopsy team, says the body was found in an advanced state of decomposition: "The remains were primarily skeletal remains or just bones."

But those bones could still tell a story. "One abnormality was a fracture – with a defect in the nasal bone. This is a blunt-impact type of injury," said Guileyardo, who said that Buddy's nose had been broken, and he had a broken tooth.

Guileyardo’s verdict: "I would not certify this death as a suicide. I think there’s really nothing to support suicide at all. Homicide is the most likely manner of death here."

Because there is no statute of limitations on murder, Cook County prosecutor Janelle Haverkamp opened an investigation. "Murder is murder," said Haverkamp. "No one should ever be able to get away with murder, no matter how difficult the investigation is or no matter much time it takes."

Smith, however, said in her letter: "Please do not try to identify me. This occurred many years ago, and I will not cause embarrassment to any of the families involved."

"Buddy Vest was just an innocent bystander at the hands of her boyfriend's rage," said psychiatrist Lisa Clayton, who is part of Herb's investigative team. "She essentially created this death and this tragedy because of her own immature poor judgment that she had at the time."

It was Clayton's job to analyze the letter. "I imagine what she did over the years was just try to bury it, and almost act like it really didn't happen and put that in the back of her mind," said Clayton.

Now, she believes Smith is trying to atone for her sins and that Smith thinks writing the letter may be enough: "I've done my part. I'm atoned. I'm forgiven. He knows the truth. Let it be. If he wants to send money, good. If he doesn't, at least he knows."

With the help of Judge Lewis, and a newly opened murder investigation, the hunt was on for Buddy’s killers.

"She has an obligation to come forward and tell us after all these years," said Herb of Smith's identity.

And although Smith has expressed interest in the newly increased $25,000 reward, she still has not surfaced: "I do not think that I deserve a reward, but I would accept it. ... I cannot identify myself. I have family and know the families of those who were responsible for his death."

Ever since the district attorney opened the murder investigation into Buddy's death, investigators working for Herb have received dozens of tips, combed old county records and checked out rumors of a police cover-up, all in an effort to find Smith.

48 Hours followed up on some of those leads. But Herb's investigators also believe Smith revealed another promising clue when she left instructions on how she'd like the $25,000 reward delivered: "You could put cash in an envelope addressed to general delivery, M. Smith, 73063 Gainesville, Texas."

Williams said he discovered something very suspicious about the 73063 zip code: "I went to the post office in Gainesville, and in the course of the conversation with the supervisor at the post office, when he saw that zip code, it's when he said, 'That letter's not coming to Gainesville. That letter's going to Mulhall, Okla.'"

Mulhall is a town 180 miles away, which means any reward money would have ended up being delivered to the post office in that small town of 239 people, and held until an M. Smith signed for it.

"The supervisor himself said, 'Don't be surprised if you have a postal employee or an ex-postal employee involved in this,'" said Williams, who found only two people working at the post office.

Did postmaster Marla Bennett know an M. Smith? Williams said when he interviewed her, she told him she once dated a Mark Smith. But she denied any knowledge of the Buddy Vest case.