Murder Arrest Made in 41 Year Old Jackson County Cold Case

This arrest comes 41 years to the day that the murder took place

Detectives from the Indiana State Police-Versailles Post arrested a 61 year old Seymour man, exactly 41 years after Clifford Smith, age 24, was murdered in rural Jackson County on October 31, 1982.

Smith’s body was found by two animal trappers on December 1, 1982 in an area along the White River near County Roads 700 East and 800 North near Rockford, just north of Seymour, Indiana. Smith had been reported missing by his wife on November 4, 1982. It was determined at the time that Clifford died from a gun shot wound to the head.

Indiana State Police Detectives investigated the death in 1982 but no arrests were made at the time. Over the years, the case has been passed to new investigators to examine the case. Sgt. Kip Main has been actively investigating the case since September 2015.

Sgt. Main’s investigation determined that Ronald J. Anderson, age 61, Seymour, Indiana was at a residence on East 13th Street with Clifford Smith and other individuals in the late hours of October 30th, 1982. The investigation further indicated that Anderson retrieved a shotgun from the house and loaded it. Anderson, while in possession of the shotgun, left the residence in a vehicle with Smith. Smith was not seen alive after they left the residence late that night.

Information gathered during the investigation indicated that Anderson was responsible for the death of Smith. Anderson also allegedly returned the murder weapon back to the home on 13th Street and returned to the crime scene soon after the murder to hide potential evidence.

As a result of the investigation by Indiana State Police Detectives in cooperation with the Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office, an arrest warrant for murder was recently issued for Ronald Jack Anderson. Today, Anderson was arrested at his residence on the east side of Seymour, Indiana without incident.

Anderson was transported to the Jackson County Jail where he was incarcerated pending an initial appearance in the Jackson County Circuit Court.

Crime Scene Investigators with the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department also assisted in the recent investigation.

The Indiana State Police continues to investigate all unsolved murder cases. All of these cases are continuously assigned to a detective for active investigation. The Indiana State Police is committed to solving previously unsolved cases to provide closure to the family and to make an arrest so those responsible for these crimes are held accountable and prosecuted in court.

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.