Where is Chris Smith now? Details explored ahead of 48 Hours on CBS

Chris Smith, a resident of Farmersville, Illinois, became the subject of a violent act that had little to do with him. While on his first date with 44-year-old Leslie Reeves, whom he met online, an intruder broke into his home and shot him in the head. Though he survived the ordeal, unlike Leslie, who died immediately, Chris Smith continues to suffer from the aftermath of the brutal attack.

This case is the subject of Fatal First Date, the latest episode of CBS' acclaimed 48 Hours. This episode is set to air on November 2, 2024, at 10.00 PM EST. The synopsis for the same 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."

Chris Smith managed to survive his gunshot wound, thanks to his dog, Tikki, who kept him warm till help arrived almost 14 hours after the shooting. Despite surviving the gunshot wound, Smith remains disabled and struggles to lead a normal life. He has tried to return to normalcy since then and is currently focused on rebuilding his life from scratch.

He is also helping arrange workshops for victims of similar trauma and is writing a book about his experience from the night of November 24, 2021.

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Who was Chris Smith and what happened to him?

At 48 years old, Chris Smith was seemingly living an ordinary and stable life. He had two children, for whom he cared deeply, and was just looking for a partner for himself. He was acquainted with Leslie Reeves on an online dating site and the two connected immediately.

They soon set up a first date at the Uptown Saloon in Farmersville, Illinois, on November 24, 2021. While things were going perfectly between them and they even went to Smith's house that night, things took an abrupt turn when Leslie's ex-boyfriend broke into the house and attacked them, leaving Leslie dead and Smith gravely injured.

The next morning, when Leslie did not turn up for an important event, her friend requested a welfare check. The authorities arrived to find Chris fighting for his life. He was shot in the head. Leslie was already dead in the living room, meanwhile. It turned out his dog, Tikki, kept him warm through the night, which was crucial to his survival.

He was immediately taken to HSHS St. John’s Medical Center. His road to recovery was far from an easy one.

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Where is Chris Smith now?

Initially, Chris Smith had no recollection of the events that happened on the night of the shooting. It was much later that he recalled how Bobby Tarr had forcefully entered his home and fired at them.

On his path to recovery, Smith required brain surgery, was in a medically induced coma for three months, suffered three strokes, and spent as many as seven weeks in the ICU. Miraculously, he survived and healed, though not fully.

Due to the extent of the damage, Smith is still disabled and requires assistance in moving around. He also had to give up Tikki to foster care due to his inability to take care of her. Reports state that he still relies on a wheelchair and a cane for mobility.

However, soon after getting out of the hospital, Chris began rebuilding his life with a positive outlook and even restarted working with his rock and roll band. He soon started a business focused on advocacy work and even began organizing survivor workshops to empower others.

Earlier this year, Smith announced that he was writing a memoir recounting the events of the fateful night, My Deadly First Date: A Story of Survival Inspiration.

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48 Hours on CBS will cover this case in more detail.