In February 2004, Sarasota, Florida, experienced a shocking crime. Carlie Brucia, an 11-year-old girl, was kidnapped from a carwash just a mile from her home. This tragic event deeply affected the community, leaving a lasting impact. Here is the heartbreaking story of Carlie Brucia.
The Abduction of Carlie Brucia
Carlie Jane Brucia, born on March 16, 1992, lived with her mother, Susan Schorpen, and stepfather in Sarasota. On the evening of February 1, 2004, Carlie was at a friend’s house and planned to walk home to watch the Super Bowl. Around 6:15 p.m., she started her one-mile walk back to her house.
Concerned for Carlie’s safety, her friend’s mother called Schorpen to check if it was okay for Carlie to walk alone. Worried about the busy Bee Ridge Road, Schorpen sent her husband to pick up Carlie, but he couldn’t find her.
As hours passed with no sign of Carlie, her parents called 911, prompting a large-scale search. The next day, police bloodhounds tracked Carlie’s scent to Evie’s Car Wash on Bee Ridge Road. Security footage showed a man in a mechanic’s uniform leading Carlie away by the arm.
The abductor was quickly identified as Joseph Peter Smith, a local mechanic, but it was too late for Carlie.
The Discovery of Carlie Brucia’s Body
Joseph Smith was on parole for drug offenses. Police searching his rented room found mechanic uniforms but no direct evidence linking him to Carlie. Smith was taken into custody for a parole violation when drug paraphernalia was found in his car.
The FBI asked Smith’s brother, John, to help get a confession. John agreed and, surprisingly, Smith eventually told John where Carlie’s body was.
Carlie’s body was found in a field behind the Central Church of Christ, 2.8 miles from where she was kidnapped. She lay on her back with a deep mark on her neck. She was naked below the waist except for a sock on her right foot.
During a phone call, Smith confessed to having “rough sex” with Carlie before strangling her.
Joseph P. Smith’s Conviction
The medical examiner determined Carlie was strangled from behind. Marks on her body showed she had been dragged to the field. DNA analysis confirmed that semen on her shirt matched Joseph Smith’s DNA. Carlie’s head hairs and fibers from her shirt were found in a yellow station wagon loaned to Smith.
Smith was convicted of Carlie’s abduction and murder and sentenced to death on March 15, 2006. His sentence was later changed to life in 2018 but reinstated to death in April 2020. Smith died on death row under unknown circumstances on July 26, 2021. Police also suspect him in the unsolved murder of Tara Reilly in 2000.
The Legacy of Tragedy
Carlie Brucia’s death had significant legal implications. In 2004, Carlie’s Law was proposed to strengthen parole rules for sex offenders, but it failed to pass Congress.
The aftermath of Carlie’s abduction caused more heartbreak for her family. In July 2005, Carlie’s mother lost custody of her seven-year-old son after failing a drug test. Struggling with her grief, Susan Schorpen turned to drugs and died from a heroin overdose in April 2017.
The story of Carlie Brucia is a reminder of the devastating impact random acts of violence can have on innocent lives. It is a tale of unimaginable loss and a community forever scarred by the tragic events of that day.