Over A Decade Waiting For Justice: The Cold Case of Arlene Byrd and Antonio Smith
SALISBURY, Md. – For over 10 years the double homicide of Arlene Byrd and Antonio Smith has remained something of an urban legend. Rumors have circulated, but as far as who killed the two people known as “Twin” and “Butter” that remains a mystery.
It’s a case that even police say puzzles them as to why no one has come forward.
“This was extremely significant,” said Sgt. Lance Lloyd with the Maryland State Police, “Because you have one of the victims Arlene Byrd very well thought of as far as within the community. The same thing with Antonio Smith, he went by ‘Butter’ one of his other nicknames was he was the ‘unofficial mayor of Salisbury’.”
Arlene was loved in the community. She did people’s hair and had friends all over. She was someone her twin sister Darlene Byrd and her older sister Keisha Hamilton say everyone just wanted to be around.
“She was energetic, she was outspoken, she was outgoing, she was like the life of the party. Unless she was around it was like no, we’re not having fun,” said Darlene Byrd.
Antonio meanwhile was someone whose reputation preceded him. Even if you didn’t know him personally, most people knew of him and many thought of him fondly.
“I mean every time I was around him he was one of the most humblest nicest guy you would ever want to meet,” said Keisha.
But in the early morning hours of July 18th, 2010. both would be taken from this world far too soon. Arlene just 31-years-old. Antonio only 26.
According to the autopsy report, both Arlene and Antonio would die from asphyxiation, stab wounds, and blunt force trauma. But that only begins to tell the nature of their gruesome deaths.
“Based off of what we saw as far as the, you know, the reports and evidence and autopsy reports we’re confident in saying they were tortured inside that apartment,” said. Sgt. Lloyd.
Sgt. Lloyd reopened the case in November of this year and it’s his belief along with other investigators that more than one person is responsible for carrying out these heinous crimes. They believe Antonio was the target of a carefully planned attack that Arlene found herself in the middle of.
“They had time, this wasn’t something typical or seemed as if it was rushed,” said Sgt. Lloyd.
As of now, investigators know that the night of July 17th Arlene and Antonio would attend a party at Brew River. Around 3 am Antonio would drive home to his apartment on the third floor in the 510 building at Parkside Apartments in Salisbury. Arlene would follow.
But it’s Sgt. Lloyd’s belief that their killers were waiting for them inside the building and before the two ever made it inside of Antonio’s home both would be attacked, maybe even held at gunpoint before being forced into the apartment. Over the next two hours, their assailants would beat, stab, and choke the life out of their two victims. Leaving behind a trail of blood outside the door, on the stairs, and other places in the building clearly visible to anyone that would have walked by.
Despite the noises, the blood, all the commotion though no one called the police.
In fact, it wasn’t until later that morning that Darlene would start to feel that something was wrong.
‘When I woke up that morning I could instantly tell something’s not right,” Darlene said.
Darlene would try to call her sister that morning several times. As each call went unanswered, her uneasiness grew. After a few hours, Darlene decided she could wait no longer and took matters into her own hands driving around Salisbury looking for her sister. During the drive, she would call several friends, one of them finally telling her Antonio lived at Parkside.
“I saw her vehicle, I saw his two vehicles out there so I said okay maybe her phone’s just dead. So I left this was maybe 12 o’clock, I left but I still had this uneasy feeling all day,” Darlene said.
Less than two hours would go by before she would return, this time Darlene would find Antonio’s actual apartment. A boy playing outside pointing it out to her.
However, within minutes of getting to his door, that’s when Darlene says the nightmare began.
“When I looked down I could see the bloody footsteps coming out of the apartment onto the landing, you open the door, there’s blood smeared on the back of the door, you open the door and there’s a huge puddle of blood trickling down like on the landing and then trickling down the stairs,” Darlene said.
Darlene would call Salisbury Police, who would initially begin the investigation. Their case would grow cold.
But it’s Sgt. Lloyd’s belief that now there may be new hope, thanks to new technology that is allowing them to re-examine the crime scene.
“DNA tests and lab tests that we can do to possibly uncover suspects, other persons of interests, different leads that we can go forward with there,” said Sgt. Lloyd.
Just in the past few days, they’ve learned the blood outside the apartment belonged solely to Arlene and Antonio.
They’re also re-testing things like a pair of sunglasses and a cellphone that belonged to Antonio.
But despite the new leads, it’s still Sgt. Lloyd’s belief, as well as the belief of Arlene’s sisters that at least someone knows something about what happened in building 510.
“Those apartments I’ve lived there the walls are paper-thin, you can hear what happens in the hallway sitting in your living room, you can hear what happens in the next person bedroom in your bedroom so I just don’t understand how no one claims to have heard nothing,” said Darlene.
That’s why her sisters and investigators are asking anyone who may have any information, no matter how insignificant they might think it is to come forward to help put an end to this suffering.
“If you know something say something, we’re tired of hurting,” said Keisha. ” It’s been 10 years it doesn’t get easier but just a little piece of closure would help.”
Anyone with information about this murder is urged to contact Maryland State Police at the Salisbury Barrack at 410-749-3101. Crime Solvers of the Lower Eastern Shore is offering a reward for anyone with information that leads to an arrest. Crime Solvers can be reached at 410-548-1776. Callers may remain anonymous.
Right now Maryland State Police say they are very actively working on new leads in this case with help from the Salisbury Police Department.
