Just before 9:00am on Friday, February 20th, 1981 Hazel Bertha Smith was discovered lying in the backyard of 311 Lauderdale Road which is next door to her residence at 309 Lauderdale Road. She had been beaten, raped and strangled. The assault began inside her house when a man forcibly entered through the front door. There were multiple reports of prowlers and burglaries in the area Thursday night. Smith’s house was also burglarized. Hazel Bertha Smith was 67 years old at the time of her death.
If you have any information regarding the murder of Hazel Bertha Smith, please contact the Cold Case Homicide Unit at MNPDColdCase@nashville.gov
You can also call the Nashville Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Division anonymously at 615-742-7463
We feel it is important to put a face to the name. If you have a photograph you would like to submit to be posted (as an addition or substitution) please email: MNPDColdCase@nashville.gov