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Fifth anniversary of Sage Smith’s disappearance

there was an April 2017 vigil focusing on the 2012 disappearance of Charlottesville native Sage Smith. Photo: WINA


(CHARLOTTESVILLE – WINA)   Charlottesville Police are reminding area residents that Monday marked the fifth anniversary of the disappearance of local transgender woman Sage Smith.  Smith had graduated from Charlottesville High School and was 19 on November 20th, 2012.   Police reclassifed Smith’s disappearance as a homicide nearly a year ago.  The following item is a release that the police sent out Monday.

RELEASE: Five Year Anniversary – Dashad “Sage” Smith

DATE: 11/20/2017

CONTACT PERSON: Det Wright-Settle

CONTACT TELEPHONE NUMBER: 434-970-3274

November 20, 2017 marks the five year anniversary of the disappearance of Dashad Smith also known to family and friends as Sage Smith. This investigation, reclassified as a homicide in December 2016, remains an active case and the Charlottesville Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance with any information related to this investigation or the whereabouts of Erik McFadden.

Erik McFadden is a black male, 5’10” tall and weighed approximately 150 pounds at the time of Smith’s disappearance. McFadden left Charlottesville shortly after Smith was reported missing and would now be 26 years old. McFadden’s family has not heard from or seen him since he left Charlottesville.

The Charlottesville Police Department believes Erik McFadden has key information related to the disappearance of Smith and considers him a person of interest that investigators would like to speak with.

If you have any information that you feel is pertinent to this investigation we ask that you contact Detective Wright-Settle of the Charlottesville Police Department at 434-970-3274 or call Crime Stoppers at 434-977-4000. Currently, there is a $20,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the disappearance of Dashad “Sage” Smith.

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