Ex-husband of killer mom Susan Smith, up for parole, says she craves attention and likely hasn't changed

Thirty years after South Carolina killer mom Susan Smith drowned her two children, she is preparing for a second chance at freedom with her upcoming parole hearing, but the father of her slain sons reportedly wants to keep her in prison. 

"I’m still fighting for justice for what happened to you … I’m doing all I can within my power to make sure that what happened to you doesn’t go in vain." David Smith told FOX Carolina he would say to his sons. 

In October 1994, Susan Smith strapped her sons, 3-year-old Michael and 14-month-old Alexander Smith, into the back seat of her car and let it roll down a ramp into John D. Long Lake in Union, South Carolina.

Smith, 22 at the time, watched as it took six minutes for water to fill the car, drown her boys and sink the car to the bottom of the lake. 

KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH DISCIPLINED BEHIND BARS WEEKS BEFORE PAROLE HEARING

Susan Smith, pictured in a recent mugshot, left, and at 22-year-old in 1994, has been incarcerated in South Carolina for nearly 30 years for the murder of her two sons. (South Carolina Department of Corrections)

The Smiths pleaded on national television for the return of their children after Susan claimed that a Black man had carjacked her and kidnapped the boys. 

Nine days later, she confessed that she had drowned her sons herself.

"I'm sure after 30 years some people have found forgiveness themselves for her, and maybe feel sorry for her, and that's understandable, but that still doesn't take back what she did to Michael and Alex," David Smith told FOX Carolina. "For her lying for nine days trying to get away with it, and the bodies were in the water for so long, I didn't have the opportunity to tell them ‘bye.’" 

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Susan Smith was sentenced to life in prison for murdering her two sons, 3-year-old Michael Daniel Smith and 14-month-old Alexander Tyler Smith. (William Campbell/Sygma )

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Smith, now 53, was sentenced to life in prison in 1995 for the murders.

The South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services set Smith's parole hearing for Nov. 20.

KILLER MOM SUSAN SMITH THINKS PAROLE IS NOW UNLIKELY AFTER SHE WAS CAUGHT TRYING TO PROFIT OFF CASE: REPORT

Susan Smith initially claimed she was carjacked, but evidence would later reveal she killed her own two young sons, Michael and Alexander. (Brooks Kraft LLC/Sygma)

In her first disciplinary action in almost 10 years, Smith was recently convicted for communicating with a victim/and or witness of a crime after speaking with a documentary filmmaker, leading up to her first parole hearing. 

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After three decades behind bars, she now reportedly believes her chance of being paroled is unlikely, Smith's relative told the New York Post.

"She's always wanted the spotlight in some manner… she always wanted attention, and she always tried to manipulate people and I don't think she's going to change," David Smith told FOX Carolina, adding that he still misses his two boys. "I wish I could've stopped it.

"If Susan was to get paroled, I have no idea what I'd do next… I'm hoping with all my heart that she doesn't get out." 

Mollie Markowitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. Email tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. She joined Fox in 2019 and made her way from producing live news coverage to true-crime documentaries at Fox Nation. She has interviewed Ted Bundy survivors, the children of notorious serial killers, survivor Lisa McVey, members of law enforcement and families impacted by traumatic crime.Currently, she covers national crime stories for Fox News Digital. You can follow Mollie on LinkedIn.