Timothy C. Smith Jr. (#0852475), now 40, is serving life without the possibility of parole at Warren Correctional Institution in North Carolina. His early life was one of profound trauma: born into an abusive home filled with beatings and neglect, he spent a decade in foster care, constantly moved between placements without ever finding stable family, love, or guidance.

At 17, he entered prison for the first time, beginning a difficult cycle driven by hardship and poor choices. After only four years of freedom, he entered a manipulative relationship with a woman he met on a dating app. She falsely claimed to be pregnant with his child, exploiting his deep desire for family and drawing him into lies and dependency. When she murdered her friend, Timothy—believing the pregnancy was real and acting out of misguided loyalty to protect what he saw as his future family—helped cover up the crime. Confronted with the truth, he confessed his involvement, accepting responsibility for his part rather than denying everything. Rooted in that belief he was protecting a child, this led to his plea to first-degree murder to avoid the death penalty—resulting in the life sentence he serves today, even though he has always maintained he did not commit the killing itself.

The greatest heartbreak came in 2022, while he was incarcerated. His only child—his beloved daughter, the true light of his life—was just 8 years old when she died in a tragic car crash. Prison denied him the chance to attend her funeral or grieve with others; he spent two months in solitary confinement, mourning entirely alone with only memories and a few photographs left.

In response to this devastating loss, Timothy has actively sought healing. He has attended therapy to process the grief of losing his daughter and the pain of being unable to be there for her or say goodbye. This work, alongside his other efforts, shows a man committed to facing his pain head-on rather than letting it consume him.

Through it all, Timothy has dedicated himself to real change. He completed the prison dog training program twice, fulfilling full contracts at both Warren and Caswell Correctional Institutions, and earned Journeyman-level certification. In doing so, he trained multiple service dogs that now bring independence, companionship, and comfort to disabled people across North Carolina—quiet proof of his patience, responsibility, and ability to create good even in confinement.

Since November 2022, he has completed 28 courses totaling 137 learning hours in areas like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), restorative justice, trauma-informed recovery, attachment theory ("Trauma Talks"), neuroscience, and programs on empathy, repairing harm, and preventing future mistakes. These reflect genuine remorse, deep self-reflection, and a true wish to make things right.

His foster care background and lack of family ties have left him without any support network or means to afford post-conviction relief—no appeals, no lawyers, no external help. For Timothy, clemency is likely his only realistic hope of freedom.

Research shows that people who age out of crime, especially those over 40 with solid rehabilitation like Timothy's, have much lower recidivism rates. Bureau of Justice Statistics data and studies on long-term inmates (including lifers granted parole) indicate significantly reduced reoffending—often in the single digits for new crimes, and even lower for serious ones. At 40, with years of therapy, education, and positive programming behind him, Timothy fits this low-risk profile.

He asks only for mercy, not excuses. With decades still ahead, he wants the chance to live a different life and honor his daughter's memory.

Clemency recognizes that real change can happen, even for those who started from the hardest places. Without it, Timothy will remain in prison for life, despite his accountability, remorse, healing, and growth.

Please sign today to urge Governor Josh Stein to grant Timothy C. Smith Jr. clemency or commutation. Your signature helps show that redemption is real, even after unimaginable loss. Thank you for reading his story and standing for second chances.