Frontier murder was even darker than it appeared

Published: Sept. 5, 2023, 2 p.m.

When first reported, it looked like a simple murder-suicide. But it quickly became clear that it was something far more sinister \u2014 and the motives of the killer were uglier and more sordid than anyone had thought possible. (Brownsville, Linn County; 1860s) (For text and pictures, see https://offbeatoregon.com/1708d.sidney-barbara-smith-murders-458.html)