Honestly, it feels like half the country held its breath back in November 2024. That’s when Susan Smith, one of the most notorious names in American true crime history, finally walked—virtually, at least—into a parole hearing after 30 years behind bars. Everyone wanted to know the same thing: is there actually a Susan Smith release date on the horizon?
The short answer is no. Not yet.
The seven-member South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons didn't take long to decide. They voted unanimously to keep her right where she is at the Leath Correctional Institution. If you’re looking for a specific day she walks free, that date simply doesn't exist on the calendar right now.
👉 See also: Why the 1989 Huntsville AL Tornado Still Matters Decades Later
The 2024 Hearing and the Next Big Date
Because of how South Carolina law worked when she was sentenced in 1995, Smith is eligible for a parole hearing every two years now that she's hit the 30-year mark. She was denied on November 20, 2024.
That sets her next potential Susan Smith release date discussion for November 2026.
It was a heavy day. Smith appeared on a video screen, crying, telling the board she was "very sorry" and that she would give anything to go back and change what happened in 1994. But the board wasn't buying it. Neither was her ex-husband, David Smith. He showed up with a photo of Michael and Alex pinned to his lapel, telling the board that Susan "made a choice" that night and that thirty years wasn't nearly enough.
🔗 Read more: The Gulf of Tonkin Incident and Resolution: What Really Happened in 1964
What People Get Wrong About Her Sentence
There is this weird misconception that "Life" in prison always means 20 or 25 years. Not in this case. Smith was sentenced to life, but the rules at the time allowed for parole eligibility after 30 years.
If she had committed the same crime just a year or two later, she might never have had the chance to ask for parole at all. South Carolina changed its laws in 1996 to make life sentences truly mean the rest of a person's natural life without the possibility of release. Smith squeezed in just before that door slammed shut.
But eligibility is not a guarantee. Far from it.
The board looks at three main things:
- The nature of the crime (which, in this case, is about as dark as it gets).
- The impact on the victims and the community.
- The inmate’s behavior while incarcerated.
On that third point, Smith hasn't exactly been a model prisoner lately. Just a month before her 2024 hearing, she lost her phone and canteen privileges. Why? She was caught talking to a documentary filmmaker about her case, which is a big no-no in the South Carolina Department of Corrections.
The 1994 Tragedy That Still Lingers
You kind of have to remember the sheer scale of the lie to understand why the parole board is so hesitant. For nine days in late 1994, the whole world looked for Michael, 3, and Alex, 14 months. Smith claimed a Black man had carjacked her and driven off with the boys.
📖 Related: Finding Peace: What to Know About the Oris P Jones Funeral and His Impact
It was a lie that fueled racial tensions and massive search efforts.
Eventually, she confessed. She hadn't been carjacked. She had driven her Mazda Protege to the edge of John D. Long Lake, stepped out, and let it roll into the water with her sons still strapped into their car seats. Prosecutors argued she did it because a man she was seeing didn't want the responsibility of children.
Why a Release is So Unlikely
Parole in South Carolina is already a tough hill to climb. Only about 8% of applicants get approved. When you add in a crime that involved the pre-meditated murder of children and a massive, public deception of law enforcement, those odds drop to near zero.
The prosecutor from her original trial, Tommy Pope, has been vocal about this. He’s now a state representative, but he still shows up to remind people that the jury spared her the death penalty with the understanding that she would be punished severely.
What Happens Now?
For now, Susan Smith remains inmate #00221487. She spends her days in a high-security prison in Greenwood, SC. She can try again in November 2026, and she likely will. David Smith has already said he’ll be there every single time to oppose her.
If you're following this case, the most important thing to watch isn't just the calendar, but her disciplinary record. Every time she breaks a prison rule—like the 2024 incident with the filmmaker—she basically hands the parole board a reason to say "no" before she even opens her mouth.
Actionable Insights for Following the Case:
- Monitor the SCDC Inmate Search: You can check the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC) public portal using her SCDC ID (#00221487) to see if her custody level or facility changes.
- Watch for the 2026 Docket: The South Carolina Board of Paroles and Pardons usually posts their monthly hearing dockets 30–60 days in advance.
- Understand the Legal "Two-Year Rule": Under SC law, once an inmate is denied parole for a violent crime, they must wait two years for their next look, provided they haven't committed major disciplinary infractions in the meantime.