Paul La Rosa (2:53)

Right. So it was the day before Thanksgiving, the evening before Thanksgiving. And Chris and Leslie had met on Facebook, as people do these days. They never met in person before this night, but they had texted with each other, they had spoken on the phone to each other, and there was some potico in a number ways, mostly because they were really into physical fitness. And Leslie ran a Pilates studio, yoga studio, she taught women's self defense. And Chris was in the best shape of his life when this shooting happened. But anyway, the night before Thanksgiving is traditionally a night when people go out drinking. And that's exactly what they did. Chris said, why don't you come up to Farmersville, which was about an hour from where Leslie lived, and she was in Troy, Illinois. They both had kids, and Leslie's kids were with her ex that evening. And same with Chris, so they were without their children. And Chris had a big house. And he told Leslie, you can sleep in one of the bedrooms if we got drinking too much, whatever. And that was the plan. She told her girlfriends where she was going to be. She gave them the address because after all, she never met this guy. But they went out drinking to a place called the Uptown Saloon, and then they went to a second bar. Everything was hunky dory. Then they went to Chris's nearby house.

Natalie Morales (4:14)

Yeah, Paul, because I understand at some point Leslie's ex boyfriend, Bobby Tarr, he started to follow them and, and showed up at Chris's house.

Paul La Rosa (4:25)

Right, right. No one knows what really happened except Bobby Tarr, who was convicted of the crime because Leslie is dead and Chris remembers nothing from that night. So it's difficult for investigators to know exactly what happened. But what the evidence reveals happened is Bobby Tarr tried to push his way in. Leslie spotted him through the glass side door. She moved a refrigerator, police believe, in front of the door to try to block him. He was able to maneuver the door part of the way open. Chris was crouched down, trying to push the door with his shoulder and his weight, and Bobby Tarr shot him in the head. According to police, Chris went down, Tarr walked in. Leslie ran into the living room, hid behind a Christmas tree, and according to the prosecutors, Bobby Tarr walked in, shot Leslie one time right in the top of the head.

Natalie Morales (5:22)

I mean, it's so horrific. The timeline, I understand, is a little unclear as well, but we know it was sometime in the very early morning.

Paul La Rosa (5:30)

Hours, though it was around 1am when this, all this mayhem occurred, according to investigators. And Leslie and Chris's friends and family were concerned when they didn't hear from them. The next morning. Now it's Thanksgiving morning. Both of them had plans to go to Thanksgiving dinner at separate locations. And when the friends didn't hear from Leslie in particular, you know, she had a bunch of girlfriends who she knew she was dating, knew Bobby Tarr, knew that Bobby Tarr had stalked her before. Just a month before, Tar had shown up at another first date that Leslie was having. They were concerned. They knew the address. In particular, a friend named Nanette Stiber decided, I can't raise her on the phone. I'm driving there. So she drove an hour up to Farmersville. On the way, she called the local sheriff's office. At the same time, a 16 year old girl who knew Chris showed up at the scene. So this young girl named Brejon Smith, she walked over to the side door. She saw blood everywhere. She saw Chris on the floor. She immediately called 911. And we have a recording of that phone call.

Chris Smith (6:44)

Nobody's answering the door. And the back window shattered and there's a body and there's blood on the stove and there's a foot I saw on the floor.

Natalie Morales (6:54)

Chris, however, was still alive, which, I mean, barely alive, which is truly miraculous.

Paul La Rosa (7:00)

Yes. And Farmersville being the small town it is, the first two medics who appeared were friends of Chris and he knew them well. And you know, of course they were, you know, horrified themselves. Here's their buddy. And with Chris was his faithful dog, Tiki. Tiki is a female dog, very loyal to Chris. And Tiki huddled with Chris, according to people at the scene, and probably saved his life because the glass door was broken, so a lot of cold air was coming in. And this medic decided that he didn't want to wait for a helicopter to get there. He put Chris in the ambulance with another medic and he drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. Again, timing is everything. Probably helped to save Chris's life.

Natalie Morales (7:54)

And let's take a listen now to what investigator Josh Easton said when he described the scene to you and to correspondent Aaron Moriarty.

Chris Smith (8:04)

I was overwhelmed when I saw the kitchen.

Natalie Morales (8:06)

What do you mean?

Chris Smith (8:07)

There was just so much blood and it was, it was everywhere. There was not a spot on the kitchen floor that didn't have blood on it.

Natalie Morales (8:14)

And what does that say to you?

Chris Smith (8:16)

That I don't know what went on in there, but it was, it was horrible for Chris. It was indescribable without you being there. I can't even make you understand how bad it was.

Paul La Rosa (8:30)

Josh Easton, who is with the Illinois State Police it's his job to catalog all the evidence, go in and sure enough, I mean, we talked about the blood, but in the middle of that, there were also two shell casings, one in the kitchen, one in the living room. There was no murder weapon. So that of course told them that someone else had to have been involved, a third person.

Natalie Morales (8:54)

And we know, you know, investigators were quickly able to identify and a person of interest, Bobby Tar, because the friends had already told them that Leslie had a stalker and it was her ex boyfriend, Bobby Tar. How soon after then was he arrested?

Chris Smith (9:13)

Paul?

Paul La Rosa (9:14)

Well, this investigation unfolded rapidly. They find his license, a registration where he lives, and they put that license into the license plate readers up and down the highway. One of the hits was near a gas station. They went there, they found a receipt where he had paid for gas at a certain time that night. So they began sort of creating a timeline of his movements before they even spoke to him. They were able to later on get his cell phone records as well. Remember this happened, the shooting at 1am by 8pm that evening, just hours later, they were going to Bobby Tarr's house and asking him if he would agree to be questioned. And he submitted to the interrogation. They put him under arrest at about. It was the next day, it was the morning after Thanksgiving and he was.

Natalie Morales (10:11)

Arraigned on those murder charges and attempted murder charges. To this day, though, he maintains his innocence.

Paul La Rosa (10:19)

That's right. Bobby Tarr likes to pretend to be the like, what what happened?

Chris Smith (10:26)

Me.

Paul La Rosa (10:26)

Me. He likes to pretend that, you know, he never did anything wrong.

Natalie Morales (10:30)

Well, this episode, of course, is not about Bob Y. Tarr, but it is about the survivor himself, Chris Smith and his remarkable recovery. You'll hear from Chris when we come back.

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Chris Smith (11:38)

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Natalie Morales (11:45)

So let's hear from Chris Smith himself. Chris, welcome. It Is such an honor to meet you.

Chris Smith (11:51)

Thank you. And likewise.

Natalie Morales (11:53)

Now, Chris and Paul, I understand you guys text each other weekly, right?

Chris Smith (11:56)

Yeah, I kind of annoy him. Yeah. I ask a lot of advice from him, actually.

Paul La Rosa (12:01)

Yeah. And he's. He, you know, Chris is a terrific guy, as you'll see.

Natalie Morales (12:06)

Yeah. And, Chris, I know that you actually wrote a book about your survival and the incredible odds in your recovery.

Chris Smith (12:15)

Yes.

Natalie Morales (12:15)

It's called My Fatal First Date. Is now available for purchase. And you explained to the readers that your story really is a journey of blood, sweat and tears. You've had to work really hard to get where you are today. Tell us about the injuries you sustained and where exactly the injury was. If you can point to it.

Chris Smith (12:35)

Well, actually, it's kind of hard with the earphones on, but the bolt went in about 5 inches above my ear, straight the top of my head. And as you know, Paul said, I'm sure you all have talked about. I don't remember anything of that night. I don't remember. Leslie. I was told that we met on.

Paul La Rosa (12:49)

Facebook, which I find really interesting because they spoke on the phone and texted two weeks before the incident. But it's interesting how the brain works. It just excised Leslie out of his brain.

Chris Smith (13:03)

Now, see, I do remember some stuff. You know, like, I remember past my neighbor's house on the drive home that afternoon. I remember some stuff from October. And then like, basically, I want to say from like the beginning, beginning of November on to the shooting. I don't remember much, if that makes any sense. So it's like my brain cut out the whole month. Go figure. I don't know. It's very odd.

Natalie Morales (13:22)

I mean, when you talk about where you were shot and. And how long you were in your kitchen and on the kitchen floor and were able to survive with blood and everything all around you. I know they had to remove part of your skull, but they weren't able to get the entire bullet out, right?

Chris Smith (13:38)

No, it's still nine millimeter. Hollow point is actually still right behind my right eye. And they say it's a fragment, but it's actually the whole thing. What? What, What? When they say fragment, what? Fragmented was my actual skull fragmented. That's what they're picking out of my brain was my skull, not the actual bolt. The bolt never moved. And it's lodged right here in my frontal lobe. And, I mean, I should still be in a coma, still be burnt. I should be bedridden on a ventilator with severe cognitive deficits. And the doctors are perplexed by that.

Natalie Morales (14:07)

I want to play some of the sound from your doctor, Dr. Victor Williams. Aaron Mortiarty asked him about your chances of survival after the shooting. So all the odds kind of were against him when he arrived at the hospital?

Chris Smith (14:19)

It would appear so.

Natalie Morales (14:21)

But he managed to survive.

Chris Smith (14:23)

It's a blessing and a miracle that he did.

Natalie Morales (14:26)

They don't have an explanation, right, Chris?

Chris Smith (14:28)

No, they don't. No, they don't.

Natalie Morales (14:29)

What's your explanation?

Chris Smith (14:30)

Well, I call it divine intervention. And two of my worst traits before I was shot. Stubbornness and impatience are not my best attributes. And then I'll never forget the day I woke up from the coma. I met Dr. Williams. He came in and he said, chris, I know your family. I know your sister. My sister's a neurotelemetry nurse, and she actually worked for him on the floor that I was at. And he said, but I hate to tell you, I'm not going to B.S. you. You're never going to walk again. And I sat there, started tearing up, and, I mean, just had a lump in my throat and felt like someone punching my gut. And I sat there and thought about it for a second, and I looked at him, I said, victor, you just told the wrong person he can't do something because I'm going to do it out of spite to prove you wrong.

Natalie Morales (15:12)

And now you're walking again.

Chris Smith (15:14)

Yes. I'll be with the cane. I can walk without one now, but I kind of look like a zombie. But I will get back there. I am. I'm determined to. And I have to. As I told Paul before, hey, life gives us lemon and limes. You've got to dig down deep. That tequila and that sugar water make poor man's margaritas and just suck it up. Pull your bootstraps up, work your tail off, and you can accomplish anything, overcome anything, exceeded anything, and be unstoppable, too.

Natalie Morales (15:39)

Yeah. And I know we were talking about what you do and don't remember about that. That night. And what happened when you were asked then about Leslie, do you remember what you said?

Chris Smith (15:53)

Well, when I woke up, my coma. I mean, I look up, I'm like, I have tubes on me, oxygen. I look on the wall, and it says, DePaul Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri. And I'm like, wait, what the. And I started yelling and screaming. The nurses came rushing in. Chris, calm down. Calm down. I'm like, what am I doing here? What happened? And the one nurse says, leslie's ex boyfriend shot you. And I said, who the f. Is Leslie? I don't know Leslie because I didn't know her. I really didn't.

Natalie Morales (16:22)

I want to go back to. You know what. What perhaps allowed you to get through this in the best possible way. Not just, of course, the incredible acts of your friends, the medics who transported you to the hospital. They knew they didn't have the time to spare. But then also, you know, the fact that your family, your sister, as you said, worked with the doct was there along your side. I know your family had to help pull you through as well. Can you talk about them?

Chris Smith (16:50)

My sister saw some fight in me and I started in the icu. When I started coming out of the coma, they met, tried to medically and put me in a coma. Medically induced coma, which they did succeed to do that. But she saw life in me. I mean, I was saying this craziest things. I wanted my truck keys in my jacket and I thought I was going to walk out of there now if it's on my YouTube. But you can barely understand what I'm saying. But I mean, it's like a comedian was born. I wanted vitamin D, red cap, whole milk. I swore it was under my bed. And rum chada. I've never drank rum chada in my entire life. Why? The only thing I could think was maybe that night it was on the bar or something like that. I mean, our brains are so mysterious. They don't know enough about them. They really need to do more brain research.

Natalie Morales (17:33)

I know you call it your ICU comedy special because the way you were reacting when you came out of that.

Chris Smith (17:38)

Coma, yes, it was crazy, but I mean, I didn't like, fully become conscious until they transferred me to St. Louis, you know, January 12th.

Natalie Morales (17:47)

I. I've seen and I know, I mean, I've seen glimpses of that sense of humor. And I know that you actually have a funny nickname that you went by with Paul on it, on a text. Right. What did you call yourself?

Chris Smith (17:59)

Bullet boy.

Paul La Rosa (18:00)

Hey, it's me, Bullet Boy. At that point, I had talked to him like once on the phone. And, you know, I'm conditioned to treat victims very seriously. And like, you know, I know he was shot in the head and you. I want to give him due respect and all that. And I wasn't going to joke around with him, but he was joking around on his own.

Chris Smith (18:16)

Yeah, I mean, my sense of humor has been one of the best healing mechanisms I've had and I've never lost that.

Natalie Morales (18:23)

That's a good thing because I think it's a survival and a coping Mechanism that everybody needs when they go through such horrific trauma and tragedy. Going back to when you were able to get out of the hospital, though, Chris, that was February of 2022. So I know you had to move in with your mom and your stepdad because you really couldn't take care of yourself the way you wanted to and that you lost your home at the time.

Chris Smith (18:50)

Yeah, I mean, sucked. But it is what it is, you know, I had to do what I had to do. And, you know, luckily enough that my parents are. My mom's cool still. She'll be 70 in July, you know, so we're like only 17 years apart, but 17 and a half. Gotta add that half on there. So, you know, I'm very fortunate and I love my stepdad to death, you know, So, I mean, I'm very lucky.

Natalie Morales (19:13)

Paul, I know you've met them as well.

Paul La Rosa (19:15)

Yeah, he has a great family. I've met his mother, his stepfather and his sister. And, you know, his mother looks so young. She's got a lot of energy. His sister is very intelligent and she's a nurse and beautiful person. And stepfather's very friendly and has two big dogs, two big male dogs that run around the house. And that's one reason, by the way, that Tiki was no longer. Is no longer living with Chris. Tiki, the dog that helped protect his life. Tiki is with a neighbor because a female dog and two big male dogs don't go together.

Natalie Morales (19:53)

Yeah, I was wondering about that, Chris. I mean, do you feel that Tiki might have helped save your life that night?

Chris Smith (19:59)

Definitely. They don't understand how I live. So much bloody love. But she was laying right there, cuddled up next to me the whole time. So she's a great dog.

Natalie Morales (20:08)

And I think there was some evidence as well. It was it on your chest that she perhaps had tried to get on you?

Chris Smith (20:13)

Yes. Her little. Little paw marks are right there. Yeah.

Natalie Morales (20:16)

Oh, yeah.

Paul La Rosa (20:18)

We didn't. I guess no one knew what that was at the beginning. And then he figured it out, or his family figured out.

Chris Smith (20:23)

Just trying to wake her daddy up, by the way.

Paul La Rosa (20:26)

I don't know if we ever mentioned it, but he was there for about 12 hours, laying on the kitchen floor before anyone found him.

Chris Smith (20:33)

Yes.

Natalie Morales (20:34)

In April of 2024, though, we know that that's when Bobby Tarr's trial happened. Were you there?

Chris Smith (20:43)

No, I did not go.

Paul La Rosa (20:44)

His family was there and they told him every day what was happening. And he. Another reason Chris didn't go, he could tell you himself, is that he said his anger would not let him go. He was afraid of what he might do if he was in the courtroom. You could tell them yourself, Chris.

Chris Smith (21:02)

Yeah, I mean, I said I'd take him out one, you know, one hand, one arm. I mean, it's like what he did is the most cowardly act anybody can do.

Paul La Rosa (21:11)

But we should say that you were there for the sentencing and you got a chance to give an impact statement.

Chris Smith (21:16)

Yes, I did.

Paul La Rosa (21:17)

And how did it feel to be in the same courtroom with Bobby Tarr?

Chris Smith (21:21)

It. I mean, the guy's a piece of dirt, you know? I mean, he's a sorry excuse for a human being.

Natalie Morales (21:28)

You talked about the fact that Tark killed you without killing you. What did you mean by that?

Chris Smith (21:33)

He took. He took my life from me. He affected so many other people. My family, my little girl, my son. I mean, my friends. I mean, they've had to suffer with me through my recovery.

Natalie Morales (21:44)

We cannot forget the victim here as well, Leslie Reeves, and what her family has had to go through and endure as well. Just horrific, the tragedy.

Chris Smith (21:53)

I mean, it makes you grateful for everything you have, you know?

Natalie Morales (21:56)

Absolutely. Absolutely. You are the living testament of that. Now, Chris, though, when Bobby Tarr was found guilty on four counts, including first degree murder and attempted murder, what was your reaction to the verdict?

Chris Smith (22:10)

I was happy, but I wish they had a death penalty at Illinois, but, I mean, he won't get out till he's 140 years old, and he's not gonna live that long.

Natalie Morales (22:18)

Right? Sentenced to 85 years in prison. What was truly shocking, though, is even after Bobby Tarr is convicted, he's in prison, then you come to find out that he. There was a solicitation of murder on you.

Paul La Rosa (22:35)

The story goes, according to prosecutors and his defense attorney, that Bobby Tarr had solicited an inmate to go to the hospital room where Chris was recovering and shoot him. We are told by prosecutors that some money did change hands, so he, Tar, was indicted, but the charges were ultimately dropped for various reasons. The biggest reason being that Tar is in jail or prison for 85 years, and it seems to be no point in having another trial and maybe another sentence. 85 years is a lifetime sentence for Tar, correct?

Chris Smith (23:09)

Yes.

Natalie Morales (23:10)

You still have some recovery ahead of you, right?

Chris Smith (23:13)

Yes, I do. Yes, I have been doing. It's called menace chemo. Stem cell transplants. Mscs. They harvest stem cells from either my pelvic bone, right and left side now, but. And then they shoot them up your. Into your. Your nose, up to the vessel supply in your brain. So I Mean, it's not FDA approved yet, but it should be here shortly because it has restored a lot of my function to my left hand side. I'm not running yet, but Paul knows I will be someday, hopefully sooner than later.

Paul La Rosa (23:46)

Physically, I've seen changes when he first started. By the way, Chris is still the lead singer in his rock and roll band. That's true. And he used to play guitar. He can't play guitar anymore. But when I first saw him performing, he always had a great voice. He's a good singer, but his left arm would shake like crazy like this. And we would joke that he would joke that he should put a tambourine in it and try to keep beat so it wouldn't look so odd when he was singing because it would just never stop moving. Now, of course, it's pretty steady, and I've seen recent video of him performing, and he looks better than ever. His arm doesn't shake. He's standing. More occasionally he would sit in his wheelchair and sing. But the last clip I saw, he was standing the whole time and arm was steady.

Natalie Morales (24:34)

Well, it's great to see you singing again and still performing with your band. I hear, though, there is another woman in your life who has really become your angel. You have fallen in love again. Tell me about her.

Chris Smith (24:48)

We, Michelle and I met. It'll be two years this June, and we've got a house together. And, yeah, I'm starting over again, you know, starting.

Natalie Morales (24:56)

You're engaged to be married now?

Chris Smith (24:58)

Yes, we are.

Natalie Morales (24:58)

When are you going to get married?

Chris Smith (24:59)

We're looking at this fall.

Natalie Morales (25:02)

Oh, amazing. What led you to write the book?

Chris Smith (25:06)

Well, I told Paul I had no intention of writing a book. Everybody from day one's like, you've got to write a book. You got to write a book. You got to write a book. Well, throughout my recovery, people have been reaching out to me from all over the world, through Facebook, I mean, through other social media outlets and whatnot. And I was like, you know what? I can do it. I can do it. I'll. I basically wrote it like I was sitting down having a conversation with somebody. Like, I'm talking to you right now. You know, just telling my story. All the intimate details that 48 Hours couldn't cover, you know, in the first run. And that's what I've done. I was like, I put my thumb to my iPhone because I can't. I can't type. I hate saying the word can't. I'm unable to type. So I literally wrote my whole book on my iPhone 14 all typing with my thumb and just. My message is to inspire people, motivate people and show everybody no matter how bleak things look in life, there's always a silver lining. You can always dig yourself out of the hole. You can accomplish and achieve anything that you want as long as you put your mind to it and work your tail off.

Natalie Morales (26:10)

For those who are struggling in their lives, do you have some advice you'll share? What's your perspective that you tell them.

Chris Smith (26:19)

Life is too precious to ever give up on anything? We don't know how many grains we have left in our hourglass. Don't ever give up on anything. Love your family, love your kids, love your friends, because you don't know when you last. You know the last grain will fall. But just live life to the fullest. Have fun, laugh, don't take things too serious. I mean, I'm not the wisest person in the world, but I have learned a lot of wisdom throughout this whole situation.

Natalie Morales (26:46)

Chris, you are truly one of the most remarkable people I've spoken with. So well done on all that you've done to not only thrive and survive, but you are out there spreading your message and giving inspiration to so many. So we thank you so much for that.

Chris Smith (27:04)

Thank you so much.

Natalie Morales (27:05)

And Paul, thank you also for joining us.

Paul La Rosa (27:08)

Of course.

Natalie Morales (27:10)

And thanks to you all for listening and watching and you can find and follow it could have Been me in the 48 Hours podcast feed. It is on the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts. And if you liked this episode, please rate and review on apple podcasts or Spotify.

Chris Smith (27:34)

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