Where was Terrence Smith last seen? Incident explored as missing Queens man found dead in Virginia

33-year-old Terrence Smith, a Queens resident, went missing during a trip to Fredericksburg, Virginia, that was supposed to conclude on October 30, 2023. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance have raised concerns, as he ceased communication with his family, and his bank account was drained.

Terrence, employed at a Manhattan real estate management firm, was last seen in a surveillance photo at a Fredericksburg Target store. According to PIX11 News, he was purchasing groceries and toiletries for a female friend and her children.

On November 16, 2023, the human remains of Terrence Smith in an advanced stage of decomposition were located near the friend's residence in the area of Timber Ridge Townhomes.

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The disappearance of Terrence Smith

ABC7 New York reported that on October 28, 2023, Terrence Smith arrived in Spotsylvania from New York to visit a female friend.

As per PIX11 News, Terrence's visit to Virginia was to see a long-time friend, with whom he shared an on-and-off relationship since high school. His family grew alarmed when he failed to return to New York, prompting them to investigate his bank records. Shockingly, his account was emptied shortly after arriving in Virginia, where he traveled by Amtrak. Terrence's sister, Shaniquah Perry, said,

"From what we understand, he’s been ‘Cash Apping’ her money."

His family claimed Terrence's behavior to be out of character and persistently asked his friend to report him missing on November 1, 2023.

PIX11 News reported that Terrence Smith was in good physical condition and frequented the gym. was elated about a recent job promotion when he obtained certification as a fire safety inspector at the construction management firm in Manhattan. His older brother, Michael Perry, said,

"Once he got it, you could tell the look on his face was joy. He was very happy."

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Authorities stated that Terrence Smith could have been the victim of a homicide

Authorities are treating Terrence's death as a potential homicide. Family members, including two residing in Virginia, visited the friend's house in Fredericksburg to inquire about his whereabouts. However, the friend provided three separate versions of his last movements near her residence. Diana Perry said,

"The first version was, he left with a girl. The second was he took an Uber, the third she mentioned to the police department was he took Amtrak to go back home. And then her son, who was present at the time, said he went out the back door to the woods."

Earlier on, Terrence's older brother visited Fredericksburg while the Spotsylvania County Sheriff’s Office was working into the disappearance. He said,

"I just searched the woods, searched the hotels that were in the area, putting up signs, asking questions."

Terrence's older brother conducted a search in Fredericksburg, combing through woods and hotels while putting up signs and asking questions. Additionally, suspicious text messages and unfamiliar photos on Terrence's phone have added to the family's concerns.

Senior Detective Earle Swift told PIX11 News that the cause of the death of Terrence Smith remains undermined, and his death could be an act of homicide. According to the outlet, his friend was evicted following the discovery of the human remains.