In April 2018, in the Florida Gulf Coast town of Eastpoint, a killer had struck. Aileen Seiden's beaten body was found dumped near a highway. The next day, a bloody motel room was discovered nearby. The back-to-back scenes prompted investigators to see if the two were connected.

The 2021 incident in Farmersville, Ill., began like any other date night. Smith and Reeves met online and decided to go on their first date the night before Thanksgiving. But their evening together ended in horror, when an intruder entered Smith's home sometime after 1:00 AM. Reeves was shot and killed, while Smith, who was shot in the head, barely survived.