Smaw was last seen in Washington, North Carolina on October 25, 1999. He left hs home that night with a female companion, as Hurricane Irene was raging in the area. He has never been heard from again. Since Smaw's disappearance, there have been rumors that he was murdered and his body buried near Interstate 95. He has a criminal history, mostly for theft-related offenses. Little information is available in his case, which remains unsolved.