Remains of Missing Child Found After Nearly 150 Years

Investigating the Past Solves a Heinous Civil-War-Era Crime

A bizarre chain of events led investigators to uncover and solve a heinous crime committed nearly 150 years ago.

In 2008, a family who lived on the outskirts of Fairview hired a horticulturist to investigate a large, old oak tree (pictured). This tree was invulnerable to all attempts to cut it down or remove it; almost as if the tree were made of steel instead of wood. With the onset of autumn, its leaves turned an unnatural, blood red color. Something about the tree made children who came near it feel afraid.

These characteristics were first discovered in 1979. A few miles outside of Fairview, a farm had been established in the mid-1970s, accessible only by one lengthy dirt road which was often impassible for much of the winter. A 50-acre area, which included the oak tree, had been deforested that same year in order to grow crops. However, this one particular tree was left standing, because no tools were able to cut it down. Many had tried, but their saws either dulled or broke when attempting to remove the mighty oak. Thus, the tree remained solitary in the now-open field, and farmers were forced to work around it. A dirt road for transporting the field's harvests to the barn passed within 10 feet of the tree.

Victoria Smith, the horticulturist, visited the farm for the first time in May 2008, with a case of instruments and meters for testing the tree to learn why it seemed to be resistant to cutting tools. Accompanied by the owner of the farm, she drove to the tree, opened her case, and set it on the ground. The air was still and 76 degrees, according to the temperature reading on the thermometer laying in the case. When Victoria attempted to insert a sharp, narrow instrument into the tree, such as a medical doctor would do for a biopsy, a sudden gust of wind swept through the immediate area. The leaves trembled, and the air temperature dropped four degrees. The wind carried with it a barely-audible sound similar to a cry, which was heard by both Victoria and the farmer. Victoria did not believe in ghosts, so she ignored the noise.