BONUS: Jennifer Smith and Dale Moneypenny (Snapped: Killer Couples)

Summary

Snapped: Women Who Murder – BONUS Episode: Jennifer Smith and Dale Moneypenny (Snapped: Killer Couples)
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Host/Author: Oxygen

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Case Overview

In this gripping bonus episode of Snapped: Women Who Murder, Oxygen delves into the chilling case of Jennifer Smith and Dale Moneypenny, a couple whose tumultuous relationship led to the tragic deaths of two beloved members of the Louisville, Kentucky community. This detailed exploration unravels the sequence of events, the dynamics of the killer couple, and the relentless pursuit by detectives to bring justice to the victims.

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The Victims: Eddie Poynter and Blaine Thacker

Eddie Poynter, a 43-year-old gay man, had moved to Louisville in the late 1990s seeking a fresh start. Known for his involvement in the recovery community and his charismatic personality, Eddie became a pillar in his community. Despite battling alcohol addiction, Eddie was dedicated to turning his life around and helping others.

“Eddie was a real nice guy. He was friendly and cordial with me at all times,” recalls Leon Nayfak at [09:29].

However, Eddie's promising future was abruptly cut short when he was found dead in his home on Harlan Avenue, stabbed multiple times and set on fire. Blaine Thacker Jr., a 73-year-old friend and former roommate of Eddie, was later discovered dead under suspicious circumstances, raising alarms about a potential serial offender.

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Investigation Begins

The investigation into Eddie's death revealed a brutal and emotionally charged attack. Leon Nayfak describes the scene: “It was very brutal attack, very violent, a very emotionally charged attack. Crimes of passion tend to be in an overkill manner. This appeared to be exactly that,” at [04:57].

Initial clues were scarce due to the extensive fire damage. A single notebook with the name Jennifer Smith written in it became a pivotal lead, pointing towards a possible connection between Eddie and Jennifer.

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Introduction of Suspects: Dale Moneypenny and Jennifer Smith

Dale Moneypenny, a man with a history of criminal behavior and a significant age difference from Eddie, emerged as a key suspect. His volatile temperament and past encounters with the law painted him as a dangerous individual.

“If you've been around Dale long enough, you know his temper. Dale's never really been one to accept a word. No, he don't want to be told no,” Nayfak explains at [26:16].

Jennifer Smith, a 23-year-old woman, became involved with Dale shortly before the murders. Their relationship was intense but short-lived, with Jennifer being relatively new to the world of crime and manipulation.

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Jennifer's Confession

Under intense scrutiny, Jennifer Smith confessed her involvement in the murders. She revealed that Dale was the primary perpetrator behind the deaths of Eddie Poynter and Blaine Thacker. Jennifer provided crucial details about the night of the murders, including Dale's rage and the subsequent setting of Eddie's house on fire.

“He grabbed a knife and attacked Eddie because he had lost control,” Jennifer admits during her confession at [33:16].

Her testimony not only linked Dale directly to the crimes but also uncovered the motive rooted in their strained relationship and Dale's desperate attempts to maintain control over Jennifer.

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Arrest and Charges

Following Jennifer's confession, Dale Moneypenny became the prime suspect in the double homicide case. His attempt to flee the state only intensified the urgency of the investigation. Dale was eventually apprehended in Miami, Florida, after a dramatic confrontation where he reverted to his manipulative and violent tendencies.

“Dale was a fairly easy interview because he wanted to talk,” Nayfak recounts at [40:27], highlighting Dale's lack of remorse and understanding of the gravity of his actions.

Dale was charged with two counts of murder, first-degree arson, and robbery, facing the possibility of life imprisonment without parole.

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Conclusion and Aftermath

The resolution of this case brought a semblance of closure to the Louisville community, though the scars left by the murders remained. Jennifer Smith faced legal consequences for her involvement, serving a decade in prison before her release in 2011. Dale Moneypenny remains incarcerated, serving a life sentence, ensuring he cannot inflict further harm.

“How could these two people be so evil that they would take advantage of two people who were willing to give everything they could to help?” reflects Nayfak at [44:19], underscoring the profound sense of loss and disbelief surrounding the case.

This episode serves as a stark reminder of how tumultuous relationships can escalate to unimaginable violence, leaving communities to grapple with the aftermath of such tragedies.

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Notable Quotes

• Leon Nayfak [09:29]: “Eddie was a real nice guy. He was friendly and cordial with me at all times.”

• Leon Nayfak [04:57]: “It was very brutal attack, very violent, a very emotionally charged attack. Crimes of passion tend to be in an overkill manner. This appeared to be exactly that.”

• Leon Nayfak [26:16]: “If you've been around Dale long enough, you know his temper. Dale's never really been one to accept a word. No, he don't want to be told no.”

• Jennifer Smith [33:16]: “He grabbed a knife and attacked Eddie because he had lost control.”

• Leon Nayfak [40:27]: “Dale was a fairly easy interview because he wanted to talk.”

• Leon Nayfak [44:19]: “How could these two people be so evil that they would take advantage of two people who were willing to give everything they could to help?”

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key points, discussions, and emotional depth of the episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the tragic events surrounding Jennifer Smith and Dale Moneypenny.

Transcript

[Leon Nayfak]

Hey, listeners, it's Leon Nayfak. I'm here to tell you about a brand new series from me and prologue projects. An Audible original series called Final Jerry Springer.

[Delia D'Ambra]

The story of a television show that.

[Leon Nayfak]

Changed the world and the man who.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Gave it his name.

[Leon Nayfak]

But did you know that before the Jerry Springer show made him notorious all over the world, Springer was something else entirely.

[Delia D'Ambra]

A respected Midwestern politician, the progressive mayor.

[Leon Nayfak]

Of a major Rust Belt city, a a man many saw as a future.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Leader in democratic politics.

[Leon Nayfak]

How did this idealistic rising star with his lofty political ambitions take a turn in such a radically different direction? You can find the whole series available now on Audible. Just search for final Thoughts Jerry Springer on the Audible app or go to audible.com Springer hi everyone. I'm investigative journalist and park enthusiast Delia D' Ambra. And every week on my podcast, Park Predators, I take you into the heart of our world's most stunning locations to uncover what sinister crimes have unfolded in these serene settings. From unsolved murders to chilling disappearances. Each Tuesday, we dive deep into the details of cases that will leave you knowing sometimes the most beautiful places hide the darkest secrets. Listen to Park Predators now wherever you listen to podcasts. Hi. Hi. SNAP listeners, we are bringing you a special bonus episode today from Oxygen's hit series Killer Couples. You can also watch full episodes live or on demand on the free Oxygen app or on Peacock by clicking the link in our description. Enjoy.

[Delia D'Ambra]

He was looking for a fresh start in a new town.

[Leon Nayfak]

I watched him blossom into a guy that felt like he had found something he needed. He had an impact on a lot of people.

[Delia D'Ambra]

But a horrifying crime would destroy his future and baffle police.

[Leon Nayfak]

They found him in the bedroom with a knife stuck in the side of his head. It appeared that the body had been intentionally set on fire. I have never seen a case like this in my career. When we found out a second person was dead, this turned into a big story.

[Delia D'Ambra]

As the body count rises, detectives face a race against the clock. To unmask a dangerous killer, it was.

[Leon Nayfak]

Imperative that we find him and extinguish.

[Delia D'Ambra]

A dead deadly combination of passion and desperation.

[Leon Nayfak]

She just seemed like she cared enough. No matter what I did, you know she wasn't gonna let that come between her. You had a relationship with him? A sexual relationship with him. I'm sure you all talk more than you're saying. People who are that cold and non caring just unnerve you. How could these people be so evil that they would take advantage of two people who were Willing to give everything they could to help.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Louisville, Kentucky is known for the glitz and glamour of the famed Kentucky Derby.

[Leon Nayfak]

Churchill Downs is home to the biggest, to the most exciting and to the most well known horse race in the world. The area around Churchill Downs is the old Louisville area. It is a pretty vibrant community.

[Delia D'Ambra]

On March 24, 2006, a concerned member of the community calls authorities to report a house fire on Harlan Avenue.

[Leon Nayfak]

It was about midnight. I seen flashing lights outside the window. And then I looked at the house next door and there was smoke rolling out of the top of the door. About that time, the fire engines came and. And they told me that I had to leave the house. So I went across the street and watched the flames look towards my house. That was enormous. I was praying to God that the house was not going to catch on fire. It seemed like the house burnt forever.

[Delia D'Ambra]

After nearly 45 minutes, the Flames are suppressed and arson investigators move in to determine the source of the blaze.

[Leon Nayfak]

The Louisville Fire department and arson investigators subsequently located a deceased subject within the house. They call us, we go in there, do our scene investigation. Crime scene unit comes and does their investigation. We entered into the kitchen. There was significant smoke and fire damage to the house. We were directed to the bedroom. As soon as we walked in, you could see the victim was laying face up on the bed. Although you couldn't determine facial features, a lot of charring to the body. And subsequently saw a knife handle that was still embedded in the face of the victim. It's one that sticks with me. It takes a lot to put a knife into somebody's head. I had never seen a case like this in my career. You're the voice for the person who is laying there dead. And you got to recreate all the events that led up to. Was very obvious that there was felo play involved. Judging from the handle of the knife that was in the face, it looked like your standard kitchen knife, not something like a hunting knife or a pocket knife. It was assumed by us that the knife was taken from the victim's kitchen. It didn't fit the MO Of a breaking and entering or a robbery. It was a very brutal attack, very violent, a very emotionally charged attack. Crimes of passion tend to be in an overkill manner. This appeared to be exactly that. So my initial thoughts were this was somebody that the victim knew or had a relationship with, romantically or otherwise.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Based on the extensive damage around the victim, arson investigators believe they know where the fire originated.

[Leon Nayfak]

It appeared that the fire had started in the bedroom. Based on some of the things that we had seen about the bed, burnt sheets, comforter, papers from books that had been torn out. It wasn't just that they were trying to burn the body. They were trying to burn the whole house to conceal any and all evidence. After discovering the body and doing the initial investigation within the bedroom, we kind of make our way out and try to identify the victim. We look for mail, we look for pictures. We look for anything that might have a name associated with address. We didn't see a lot. We didn't have anything that identified who the victim was. Then we started interviewing whoever's around who showed up at the scene. As I walked out of the house, I looked over and saw somebody that I recognized named darryl benzel. Darrell is a friend of my brother and my dad. I saw lee and she. We looked at each other and like, wow, what's this? I greeted darrell, you know, hi, darrell, what are you doing here? I said, well, that's my house. She's like, oh, my goodness.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Darrell tells detectives that he had just received a frantic call from a neighbor.

[Leon Nayfak]

Bonita, who lived next door, let me know that our house was on fire. That's all she could tell us, that the house was on fire and the fire department was there. So I got there as fast as I could, all the time thinking what happened. He had asked me at that point if there was anybod. I advised him that there was. I asked him if he knew who it was. He said, well, yes, it's my tenant, and it's eddie poynter. And at that point, I kind of took a step back and my shoulders just kind of dropped. And I know that name. Wow. And it's the first. Well, it's the first and only homicide I ever had where I'd actually met the victim.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Born in the bible belt community of edmonton, kentucky, Eddie poynter had moved to louisville in the late 90s.

[Leon Nayfak]

He came from a small town in kentucky. Eddie was gay and probably didn't have a lot of, I guess, outlets for the gay community. People outgrow their small town, and they want to see a bigger city and socialize with people like themselves and where they can feel comfortable and accepted. And I think louisville was that for eddie. Louisville's a very diverse city. People can love who they want here, and a lot of folks make it their home because of that.

[Delia D'Ambra]

In louisville, Eddie quickly found a community where he felt accepted.

[Leon Nayfak]

I didn't know eddie well, but my brother knew him. I had met him while having lunch with my brother one day, and he was A waiter here in town. My brother and I were dining there, and I just remember there was a bright smile on both of their faces and a very compassionate, welcoming greeting to one another. I remember my brother saying, eddie's going through a tough time right now. Eddie had a problem with alcohol. He had battled that for some time. Eddie did seek a program of recovery and had met a lot of people and had an impact on a lot of people. He was fun and funny, but he was serious, too. He had a serious side. He believed in being in recovery and doing the best he could. I watched him blossom into a guy that felt like he had found something he needed. I just loved him to death.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Eddie was trying to turn his life around when he met Darryl Benzel, who offered him a place to live on historic Harlan Avenue.

[Leon Nayfak]

Eddie was several months sober, needing a place to stay, and he was a good tenant. He really was. Eddie was a real nice guy. He was friendly and cordial with me at all times.

[Delia D'Ambra]

But just eight months after moving into his new house, the life Eddie had worked so hard to build in Louisville has gone up in flames. And detectives are searching for clues as to what happened.

[Leon Nayfak]

I always worked my hardest on these cases, but there was never really a personal attachment to these victims. Until this case. I just had a different connection. Despite.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Despite the damage caused by the fire, detectives recover one clue from the ashes.

[Leon Nayfak]

One of the fire arson investigators said, hey, we uncovered this notebook. There's a name, Jennifer Smith in it. If we could identify a Jennifer Smith that might have had some sort of tie to this residence, it was worth investigating. The likelihood of tracking down every Jennifer Smith in the city of Louisville was a big task. It could have just been a girl that had been visiting that was doodling her name when she visited and had nothing to do with this. Everything that could have caused a problem for me in the beginning stages of any investigation was there. We have no fingerprints. We have very limited, if any, evidence at the scene because of the fire. And we have a crime of complete rage. It was a little bit overwhelming to think that it would be solved. Where do we start?

[Delia D'Ambra]

Coming up, detectives search for clues among Eddie inner circle.

[Leon Nayfak]

We heard that they had had a relationship at one point. There was about a 30 year age difference between the two of them.

[Delia D'Ambra]

And the case is turned upside down when detectives discover Eddie's murder may be connected to a larger crime spree, one with a rising body count.

[Leon Nayfak]

She called us and said she's ready to talk and clear things up for herself. She says she may know where another body.

[Delia D'Ambra]

In Louisville, Kentucky, homicide detectives are investigating the stabbing death of 43 year old Eddie poynter. To learn more about eddie and those closest to him, detectives must break the news of his death to his mother.

[Leon Nayfak]

When you make a notification on somebody's death, I mean, it's the absolute hardest thing you do in your career. And it never, ever gets easier. It's heartbreaking. She said they had a very close relationship. She was heartbroken to hear that her son had died and even more so that he had died in this manner.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Eddie's mother can't think of anyone who would want to harm her son. When detectives begin speaking to Eddie's friends, they say the same.

[Leon Nayfak]

He had a good network of friends, both in the community of recovery as well as the gay community who were very close. Ned I was devastated. I just couldn't figure out how they could kill this sweet friend of mine.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Hoping for answers, detectives request for an autopsy to be done right away.

[Leon Nayfak]

The autopsy revealed that there were multiple stab wounds to the face as well as the torso. An excessive amount, probably in the dozens. He had numerous defensive wounds on his hands. Fighting for their life. They're trying to stop what was coming at them. It appeared that the body had been intentionally set on fire due to the nature of the severe burns and the char marks that concealed his identity. It's almost like someone wanted to erase any trace of Eddie physically and emotionally. I remember coming in that day and our assignment desk sending myself and a photographer out to the home. Fire crews found 43 year old Eddie Poynter inside his burning home on Harlan street early Friday morning. Pointer's possessions charred and on his front lawn. That I've never felt like it was an unsafe neighborhood. The news of Eddie's death was circulating so a lot of people were learning about it. People would call the office and offer to give information because they cared about Eddie. And one of his best friends actually reached out to us when he heard about Eddie's death. And that was a man named Gary Perry. It was a great phone call to get because he's going to be the person that probably knows Eddie more than anybody does. Gary indicated that Eddie predominately hung out either in AA meeting groups or at a little small hole in the wall bar called teddy bears that's in the heart of old Louisville. He was sober, but he was always there, drinking just cokes and stuff because that's where his friends were. What I want to know is did he have any romantic relationships? Who are his closest friends? Gary really indicated that he didn't have any romantic relationships that he was aware of. He had very close friends and one of his best friends, and he used to live with this older gentleman, and his name was Blaine thacker. There was about a 30 year age difference between the two of them. They were both in the restaurant industry and they were both part of the gay community, and they just fell into a very deep friendship. Eddie and blaine were seen together all the time. We heard that they had had a relationship at one point, possibly, but they were just friends.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Armed with the knowledge that blaine was close with Eddie, detectives must speak with him to rule out any involvement.

[Leon Nayfak]

Gary said, you know, Blaine would be the one person that probably knew Eddie the best. He had just moved into an apartment down in old louisville on ormsby. It was called the mayflower apartments. He did not have a current phone number for Blaine, and he was gonna work on that for us to reach out to Blaine to contact me him to see if he could be any help in this investigation as well.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Gary does know Blaine's current place of employment, so detectives decide to start there.

[Leon Nayfak]

Blaine was the cook at mastersons, which is a family owned restaurant and catering company here in Louisville. Blaine was just kind of a character. He would be yelling at someone one minute and hugging them the day next. Blaine was a great guy. He had a very, very kind heart and a strong work ethic. He was just a rock. He was always there. He was very dependable. He always took the morning shift, which was great because it's hard to find people to come in at 4 o' clock in the morning. And he always showed up. But blaine didn't show up. One day we kind of thought, well, anybody can misread a schedule. And then the next day when he didn't show up and nobody heard from him, we knew that something, you know, was not right. Eddie and blaine were seen together all the time. Eddie is stabbed to death in his home, the home set on fire, and Blaine is nowhere to be found. So does Blaine have anything to do with this? Once we learned that he hadn't been to work in two days, it was concerning for us. It was imperative that we find him. The right way to tackle spring cleaning is put a little spring in your step with new bombas socks. No, seriously. It's my favorite way to freshen up my daily routine and help me feel cozy and stylish, regardless of what's on my to do list. Whether I'm buying dress socks for my fiance to wear at our wedding or athletic socks to help me run A half marathon. Bombas has me covered. I used to buy band aids and creams because I was afraid of blisters on long distance runs. Now I just have my Bombas socks, which work for me. They're soft, feel great in my sneakers, and still feel like new after several washes. Bombas also offers fresh white tees, waterproof slides, and seamless underwear. So there's something for everyone. Bombas started making socks when they learned that they're the number one most requested clothing item in homeless shelters. So thank you for shopping with Bombas. You've helped donate over 150 million essential items. Now that's a lot of socks and a lot of kindness. Head over to bombas.com snapd and use code snapped for 20% off your first purchase. That's B O M B-A-S.com snapd code snap to checkout. Raise your hand if you want your nails to look perfect all the time. Me too. I'm Sarah Gibson Tuttle from Olive and June. And this is exactly why we created the mani system. We wanted to make it possible for everyone everywhere to give themselves a beautiful manicure at home with our tools and our long lasting polish. Each manicure with our mani system comes out to just $2. That's right, $2. No more. 30, 40, $50 manis that you get at a salon and they take hours. Now you can paint your nails on your time and love them more than ever. And by the way, when people ask, who did your nails? Where did you get them done? You're gonna proudly say, I did them myself. Get 20% off your first mani system with code [e-mail] freshmanny20. That's code freshmanny20 for 20% [e-mail] freshmanny20. Let's get you nails you can brag to all your friends about, shall we?

[Delia D'Ambra]

In Louisville, Kentucky, detectives investigating the murder of 43 year old Eddie Poynter are hoping to speak to his best friend, Blaine Thacker. But before detectives can locate Blaine, they receive word that a possible witness has arrived at Eddie's home.

[Leon Nayfak]

Another detective was out there doing a neighborhood canvas. There was a car that pulled up to the crime scene tape and. And he said, I'm trying to go to this house on Harlan Avenue. He said, my friend is in there. Well, who's your friend? And he said, it's Dale Moneypenny. It was at that point that he wanted to know if we had identified Dale Moneypenny as the victim in the house. This was a bombshell. We knew Dale Moneypenny was not the victim in this case.

[Delia D'Ambra]

According to the witness, he had gone to the Harlan avenue home the day before the fire to see his friend Dale.

[Leon Nayfak]

Dale's friend said dale Moneypenny was there covered in blood, and there was a girl in there, and she had blood on her clothes. He kind of got freaked out and left, and then saw the crime scene tape up, piqued his interest, and he went back over there to find out that the house had been burned. It was a huge break in this investigation because not only did he give his name, he put him at the crime scene with a female. Both of them had blood on their clothing within hours of the fire being said.

[Delia D'Ambra]

The witness doesn't know Eddie poynter, but he claims that Dale had been living in the house for two days.

[Leon Nayfak]

He didn't know this girl, but Dale, she was unfamiliar to him, but he was able to give us a description. Who the hell were those two people staying with him? That's who we needed to figure out.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Detectives, prioritize this new lead and put a hold on tracking down Blaine thacker.

[Leon Nayfak]

It's very unusual to get the name of a Suspect within. Within 24 hours of your investigation. So going from a place of where do we begin to. We may have a suspect Was unexpected and exciting. All we needed to do was a little bit of research and search was on. We were able to locate criminal records. We knew very little about Dale Moneypenny other than a general description of him as a white male, blonde hair, blue eyes, originating from Ashland, kentucky, which is far eastern Kentucky. We did have a knowledge that he was driving a black honda, and we got the plate. So we put out a bolo, which is be on the lookout for this plate and this vehicle. If you see it, call the police. At that point, we just took the name Dale Moneypenny and did a search through our arrest records and found that Dale had spent some time in prison and had a fairly lengthy criminal history for a young male in his 20s. Dale liked to assault people. He liked to steal things. I believe there was an escape charge at one point and some drug use in his history.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Determined to locate dale and learn more about his connection to Eddie, detectives begin reaching out to his relatives. While no one has seen Dale, family members tell police they're not surprised to hear from them.

[Leon Nayfak]

Dale always had his little fair share of trouble, you know, not wanting to listen and, you know, just doing his own thing. So it's not Dale's first rodeo.

[Delia D'Ambra]

According to Dale's family. His downward spiral into a life of crime developed after the tragic murder of his mother when he was just a teenager.

[Leon Nayfak]

When my aunt Karen died, it was. It hit everybody pretty hard. But it hit Dale especially hard because that was the only family he really had for himself. Like he was. He was on his own. He had nowhere else to go. Del was already way into partying at that age, and, you know, he was. He was a ladies man. He knew how to talk to people. He knew how to get what he wanted. And he fed off of that. You know, he'd feed into your needs to get to his needs. He drew up in a drug world and alcohol and all that, you know, but it takes a toll on a person after a while. He had a temper. And you add drugs and alcohol with that, that's a bomb waiting to go off.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Following a stint in prison in 2000, family members say Dale left home for good.

[Leon Nayfak]

I knew Dale had took off to Louisville, Kentucky, and he ended up with this girl out there.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Detectives have a theory for who. Dale's girlfriend.

[Leon Nayfak]

We knew one name at that point. Jennifer Smith.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Detectives release Dale's mugshot and asked the public for help identifying Jennifer Smith. Shortly after, they get a call from the mother of a Jennifer Smith in Southern Indiana.

[Leon Nayfak]

We went to her house. She said she hadn't seen Jennifer, but she knew that we were looking for her because she had seen the news. Jennifer's a young 20 something, had been going to college. She didn't really have a residence that she lived at. She would, you know, kind of hop from place to place.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer's mother confirms that her daughter has been dating Dale Moneypenny for two weeks.

[Leon Nayfak]

Jennifer's mom did see her with Dale and saw that she had a very strong attachment to this guy. She didn't really like him or trust him. She made him get out of the house because he was there trying to manipulate and take money and do stuff that way. And so Jennifer just went and stayed with him.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer's mother believes that her daughter's life is in danger.

[Leon Nayfak]

She was scared for her daughter because the way Moneypenny was manipulating and preying on Jennifer, I know she cared about her daughter. She. He wanted her back home.

[Delia D'Ambra]

With no clear indication where Jennifer and Dale are now, detectives fear they may have skipped town. But just a few hours after speaking with Jennifer's mom, police get another call.

[Leon Nayfak]

A short time later, she called us and said, Jennifer's back and she's ready to talk to you guys and clear things up for herself. We up picked Jennifer. And something was eating at her, something was bothering her. It wasn't until we pressed her for a little bit more that she came clean.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer admits that her boyfriend Dale Moneypenny is responsible for Eddie Poynter's death. But Eddie is not the only victim.

[Leon Nayfak]

She says she may know where another body is. She drops a bomb. She tells us that she didn't know that, that Dale was going to kill the other guy. And I said, what other guy? She said, the guy that lived in the Mayflower apartments. Immediately I said, it's Blaine thacker.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Less than 48 hours after Eddie Poynter was found stabbed to death inside his burned out home, 23 year old Jennifer Stone Smith has revealed that her boyfriend Dale Moneypenny killed Eddie's friend Blaine Thacker. While Jennifer is taken to the station to await further questioning, detectives race to Blaine's apartment.

[Leon Nayfak]

Detective Siebel. I went to the building and met with the management there and they let us into the apartment. We walked in and his feet were sticking out, covered up with blankets. Blaine had male, multiple stab wounds to his chest and torso area as a result of a knife, kitchen knife. There was no fire at Blaine Thacker's house, although there were signs that there had been things that had been knocked over and appeared to have been removed from the home.

[Delia D'Ambra]

After processing the scene, detectives returned to the station and pressed Jennifer for answers.

[Leon Nayfak]

We prayed her rights and then we just started having a conversation with her. You just basically built rapport with them. You try to get them to trust you. What we need right now, okay, is you to tell us everything, be honest with us, tell us the truth. Because here's the deal, okay? We want to hear your side and it can help you because you were there and you know what took place. Okay? Yeah. Okay. I thought she was a young me. Very mild mannered, lost young lady.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer tells detectives that she didn't know Dale was violent when she first met him.

[Leon Nayfak]

Dale Moneypenny and Jennifer Smith had really only known each other for about 10 days. She stated she had met Dale through some friends that were in the party scene and she was attracted to him immediately. Very infatuated, basically puppy love. You know, you're partying with people and they're your best friends. In two weeks is an eternity. You met this guy and you're in love with him. And I know you have a lot of strong feelings for him. He was blonde with blue eyes. He carried himself well. He was very charismatic. He seemed to say the right thing at the right time. When you first meet Dale. You're going to get a sight of Dale. You think is just a very good person. Dale was fun to be around at times. He knew how to get Jennifer. They kind of began to just kind of run around together for a period of seven days, staying from one place to another without separating from another. They technically were homeless. Jennifer's mom booted him out. Her mom just wasn't willing to accept the lifestyle that she was living at the time with Dale.

[Delia D'Ambra]

According to Jennifer, while grabbing a drink at teddy bear's bar, the couch surfing couple had the good fortune of meeting Eddie Poynter.

[Leon Nayfak]

How do you know Eddie? I met him. Hazed head. Okay. And how did. How long did you meet him? I met him Wednesday be two weeks. How sober. He hit it off with them, offered them a place to stay. Felt bad for them because they didn't really have a permanent place to stay. And Eddie was kind to them. He was just a good guy and he wanted to help people. He had also had a rough time in life and had been down on his luck in his recovery. He sought to help other people. Eddie took a big chance by inviting him into to his home. Eddie didn't know what he was in for. You know, Eddie didn't know who Dale really was. How did Dale and Eddie get along? They seemed like they got along great. Okay.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer says that only a couple of nights into their stay, on the night of March 23, it was clear they had overstayed their welcome.

[Leon Nayfak]

Her story was that she and Dale were having sex in Eddie's bed. And Eddie walked in. We was in his bedroom. Was he upset because you all were having sex in his bed? Yeah. Okay.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer claims that she left the room to avoid confrontation, but Dale grew enraged at Eddie's treatment of his girlfriend.

[Leon Nayfak]

Jennifer said at that point, he grabbed a knife from the kitchen. Dale went in and approached Eddie and an argument ensued, at which time he came a few minutes later and he was covered in blood. And he said, we gotta get out of here. I said, oh, God, oh, God, oh, God. What are you doing, Dale? What are you doing? What about the fire? If you went and grabbed something for him, gave you some matches, whatever, that's just part of it. You gave him a lot. She said dale set the fire to the house and they then and got whatever they could that belonged to them. And they left and they walked about 45 minutes to the apartment belonging to Blaine Thacker.

[Delia D'Ambra]

According to Jennifer, she and Dale didn't really know Blaine that well, having met him through Eddie only once.

[Leon Nayfak]

Did y' all at any point talk about what happened with Eddie to this guy? No. They told Blaine that, oh, they needed a place to spend the night, never letting him know what had just happened. Blaine allowed them into his apartment because he knew them as having stayed with Eddie and told them that they were welcome to stay there for the night if they needed a place and to help themselves to something to eat if they needed to, and that he was going to be going to bed.

[Delia D'Ambra]

According to Jennifer, she fell asleep on the couch. But at 4:30am she awoke to a horrifying sight.

[Leon Nayfak]

Emma had blood all over his face. All over. She heard Dale come out from Blaine's bedroom again, covered in blood. Him stating, we need to get out of here. This time they just throw blankets on top of him. According to Jennifer, she did not know Dale was going to kill Blaine. Did he say at any point why.

[Delia D'Ambra]

He killed this other guy?

[Leon Nayfak]

No. Did you ask him at all? And he just avoided it? Yeah. Just avoided it. Well, the picture is that Dale is on a violent rampage and she's just there going along and it just doesn't seem to make a lot of sense. She tried to separate herself from it as much as she could. It didn't seem feasible that a person that was completely innocent would be. Not try to get help or separate herself from somebody who's seemingly in a killing spree. So it was time to kind of call her out on it. I know when you love somebody, you'll do anything you can to try and help them, but now's the time to be as honest as you can. Okay. Yeah. I know at some point you started to tell you to look for money. No. Didn't he find any? None at all. Any credit cards or anything like that? I don't think so. Okay. Did you leave with anything? Some serious, I think a rodeo and a mini tv.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer claims that she and Dale drove to Indiana and stayed with a friend before Dale decided to flee the state.

[Leon Nayfak]

He said, I'll get back in contact with. So I think with him saying that, she felt reassured that they would be together once again.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Following her confession, detectives charged Jennifer with two counts of murder, one count of robbery, two counts of arson, and tampering with physical evidence. They next set their sights on locating Dale.

[Leon Nayfak]

Has he called you a lot or just maybe once? How many times does he called you? Just one time. And what did he say when he called you? They just asked me if I was a ring. Okay. Did he say where he was? He said he was driving. Only thing she knew was that he had said that he had always wanted to go to Miami and that he was probably on his way to Florida. So we contacted Miami Dade County. We had a grand jury indictment of Dale Moneypenny and, and a felony warrant for his arrest. So should Dale be stopped, they would be alerted no matter where he was located in the United States that he was wanted for two counts of murder and arson here in Louisville. You know, you had to get him off the street, you know, cause if you got no remorse for the two deaths he's already committed, why wouldn't he kill others? And it was very high pressure. The stakes were very high. Dale wasn't going to stop. And I think it was concerning for anybody that encountered him on his, his path. We're desperate to find him.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Coming up. As the search for Dale Moneypenny intensifies, authorities fear he'll stop at nothing to stay a free man.

[Leon Nayfak]

There's no way to say he'd never do it again. The only way he knew how to survive was to steal and kill people.

[Delia D'Ambra]

In March 2006, Jennifer Smith and Dale Moneypenny have been implicated in the brutal, brutal murders of two beloved members of the Louisville community.

[Leon Nayfak]

Residents are trying to make sense of two murders. The first on Harlan Avenue, home to 43 year old Charles Edward Poynter, who was the first to die last week. The second, 73 year old, Blaine Thacker Jr. Wasn't discovered until Jennifer Smith was arrested late Saturday night and started talking to police. When we found out a second person was dead not too far from Eddie's house, this turned into a big story and a lot of people were upset.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Jennifer Smith has confessed that her boyfriend, 26 year old Dale Moneypenny, is responsible. And now Dale has been on the run for more than two weeks.

[Leon Nayfak]

We really didn't know where Dale was going. He could have been lying to Jennifer. He could have been going, you know, to Colorado for all we know, which is why we had him in our national database as a wanted felon.

[Delia D'Ambra]

On April 16, detectives received the news they have been waiting for.

[Leon Nayfak]

We got a hit. Sunny Owls Police department, which is very close to Miami, called our office and said, we just arrested Dale Moneypenny. We understand you're looking for him. We said, yes, indeed. At the time that Dale was stopped, he was in a stolen vehicle, which was not a surprise.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Detectives learned that on on March 30, Dale stopped at a bar in Daytona beach and charmed a 75 year old man into buying him a hotel room.

[Leon Nayfak]

It's the same thing he was Doing. He's preying upon the gay male population. That's his way of doing it, because he's able to manipulate people.

[Delia D'Ambra]

When they walked into the hotel room, Dale pulled a knife on the man.

[Leon Nayfak]

Dale said, I don't know how to tell you this, But I'm going to kill you and take your. And the man said, you can have it. You can have my wallet. You can have my keys. Just don't hurt me. Hotel managers had seen dale go outside, and they saw dale trying to get into several different cars and ultimately leave in this man's car. They then went to the hotel room and checked on him, and he was safe. The hotel called the police, and then the police found dale, and they realized who he was.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Detectives, extradite dale moneypenny back to louisville, where he agrees to talk.

[Leon Nayfak]

Dale was a fairly easy interview because he wanted to talk, and you didn't have to ask a lot from dale. Dale wanted to talk, and he talked freely. You guys have to go see the fire. Yeah. Wasn't pretty. What? Wasn't pretty at all. How do you feel about it? It's first thing in my mind when I go to sleep. First thing I wake up. So, I mean, I suffer for every night because I just. Every night when I go to try to go to sleep, I keep seeing the. The last breath he took, and then the way to buy him turned gray.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Dale confirms Jennifer's story that eddie poynter had tried to kick them out of his house. And dale admits he wasn't willing to comply with the request.

[Leon Nayfak]

If you've been around dale long enough, you know his temper. Dale's never really been one to accept a word. No, he don't want to be told no. He went into a rage at that point, and there was an argument that ensued, and he grabbed a knife and attacked Eddie because he had lost control. I was hammering whiskey. I don't remember what Eddie said to me that made me snap on benjamin. First, they might have custody. Jennifer. After he killed eddie, he knew he was in trouble, and he had to cover his tracks, so he asked jennifer to help him. They took a few belongings that they thought were valuable. It was a crime of opportunity because, you know, they were living for free.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Dale says that after they set fire to Eddie's house, they headed for blaine thacker's.

[Leon Nayfak]

Blaine had opened the door for them, Told them to help themselves to whatever food there was in the apartment. He went to bed. He had no idea that they had just murdered his best friend.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Dale claims that he became increasingly paranoid that Blaine would realize what happened to Eddie. He eventually went into Blaine's bedroom and stabbed him multiple times.

[Leon Nayfak]

I guess I stole some stuff from him.

[Delia D'Ambra]

After.

[Leon Nayfak]

After it happened, Dale said he needed some of Blaine's valuables so that he could pawn them to continue on his way out of town. If mark can leave. I wanted to keep Jennifer with me. Really? Why? She just seemed like she cared enough no matter what I did, you know, when will I not come twin? You know, I was getting attached to this girl. Dale basically took the blame himself and admitted that he was responsible for both the death of Eddie Poynter and Blaine Thacker and that Jennifer was pretty much just along for the ride.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Following Dale's confession, he is charged with two counts of murder as well as first degree arson and robbery.

[Leon Nayfak]

Once Dale money penny was informed that he was looking at possibly the death penalty, he decided to make a deal. He's in prison for life without parole. I think life without parole is wonderful. He still got many years to live. For 23 year old Jennifer Lynn Smith, the introduction into the world of felony arrests is a harsh one two counts of murder, one count of robbery, one two counts of arduous. Someone of tampering with physical evidence.

[Delia D'Ambra]

On September 30, 2008, Jennifer Smith pleads guilty to complicity to commit murder and arson and is sentenced to 10 years in prison.

[Leon Nayfak]

How could these two people be so evil that they would take advantage of two people who were willing to get. Give everything they could to help someone? It shows no remorse, no feelings. People who are that cold and non caring just unnerve you. They had no reason to die like that. Just cuz of Dale, you know, and Jennifer. Dale was the catalyst for the whole thing. I've always looked at, looked up to Dale, you know, and Dale's always been family. But Dale had no remorse for what he did. He's exactly where he needs to be. Because if he got out, there's no way to say he'd never do it again. I felt just such a deep sadness that Blaine was gone and to never see Blaine again, It just didn't seem real. I never got any kind of closure. Eddie was shy, but had an underlying sweetness about him. You could just see it deep down. You didn't have to really look for it. It was him. It was who he was. He had the best smile, he gave the best hugs. He meant something to me. I'm sure he meant something to other people. And I'll miss him. Yeah. Jennifer Smith served five years in prison. She was released in 2011 at the age of 29, Dale Moneypenny is serving his life sentence in the Kentucky Department of Corrections. Lamont Jones world is shattered when his cousin dies in custody just weeks after entering prison. Prison the official report says natural causes, but bruises and missing teeth tell a different story. From Wondery comes Death County Penns, a chilling true story of corruption and cover ups that begins as one man's search for answers but soon reveals a disturbing pattern. Lamont's cousin's death is just one of.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Many and powerful forces are working to keep the truth buried. With never before heard interviews and shocking.

[Leon Nayfak]

Revelations, Death County, Pennsylvania pulls back the curtain on one of America's darkest institutional secret secrets. This isn't just another true crime story, it's happening right now.

[Delia D'Ambra]

Follow Death County PA on the Wondery.

[Leon Nayfak]

App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Death County PA early and ad free right now by joining Wondery plus.