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The upcoming episode of 48 Hours on CBS is all set to cover the brutal murder of Leslie Reeves and the attempted murder of her new date, Chris Smith. Though Smith managed to survive this deadly date, Leslie wasn't so lucky. The fatal attack on the couple allegedly came from Leslie's jealous ex-boyfriend and it left the quaint town of Farmersville, Illinois, shaken.
This case is the subject of 48 Hours season 38 episode 7, titled Fatal First Date. This episode will air on November 2, 2024, at 10.00 PM EST. The synopsis for the episode reads:
"A couple's first date ends with an ambush. Both are shot. Can the only survivor identify the shooter? "48 Hours" correspondent Erin Moriarty reports."
Ahead of the episode, let us go over what happened to Leslie Reeves and Chris Smith and who did it.
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Who was Leslie Reeves and what happened to her?
Leslie Jane Sphar was born on June 26, 1976, in Town & Country, Missouri, and was raised with her sister in a loving household that supported her dreams and ambitions. She remained a popular presence in the lives of everyone she knew throughout her life.
At a point in her life, Leslie Sphar married and legally changed her name to Leslie Reeves. This marriage did not last, but she had two children during the time and remained a dedicated mother to them till the end of her life.
She was also academically brilliant. She first enrolled at the University of Missouri Rolla to study engineering and followed it up with a Master’s in Science from the University of Kansas. She went on to become a successful petroleum engineer.
At the time of her murder, Leslie was living in Troy, Illinois, where she also changed her job to become an entrepreneur and a passionate advocate for women's rights.
Shortly before her murder, Reeves connected online with Chris Smith, with whom she clicked instantly. On the night of November 24, 2021, Leslie planned a first date with Chris Smith.
They reportedly went to a Uptown Saloon in Farmersville, Illinois, where Chris Smith's friend was performing. The date reportedly went very well and they went to Smith's house afterwards to spend more time together. This was the last time anyone heard from Leslie Reeves.
The next morning, when Leslie failed to show up for a pre-planned family event, a friend asked the police to do a welfare check at Chris Smith's home. When the police reached Smith's residence, what they discovered was beyond horrifying.
Leslie Smith was shot to death in the living room of the house while Chris Smith was also found shot in the head on the kitchen floor. Smith was somehow holding on to his life when police reached him over 12 hours after the massacre. The police figured out that an intruder had broken in and shot both of them before fleeing.
Who killed Leslie Reeves?
Soon after the murder, the police were able to single out Robert J. Tarr, with whom Leslie had an on-and-off relationship for quite a while. When he was questioned, there were several inconsistencies in his story, leading the police to believe that he may be the perpetrator.
Soon, with the help of text messages from Tarr's cellphone, which seemed to further confirm his involvement, the police arrested and charged him with the murder. He was sentenced to 85 years in prison, where he remains as of now.
The upcoming episode of 48 Hours will cover this case in more detail.
