NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nearly 12 years after the mysterious death of 32-year-old Livia Smith, her family and law enforcement are still searching for answers in the case. On February 20, 2013, Smith’s lifeless body was found hours after she got into a taxicab, leaving family and investigators with more questions than answers.
Smith had spent the evening out with friends in the Five Points area of East Nashville before ending the night in a yellow cab. She was last seen entering the vehicle, but the circumstances surrounding her death remain unclear. Smith’s brother, Ian Struthers, has fought tirelessly for justice and is now upping the reward for information leading to an arrest to $20,000. Nashville Crime Stoppers has pledged an additional $5,000 for credible tips.
In a statement, Struthers expressed his frustration: “It still feels like yesterday. Instead of sadness, we just feel anger. Why is this still open?”
On February 19, 2013, Smith had enjoyed a night out with friends. Struthers, recalling the evening, said, “All of us had gone out and had one too many and did the responsible thing and got a cab ride home.” Smith’s friend helped her into a yellow taxicab at the end of the night, but that was the last time anyone saw her alive.
The discovery of Smith’s body hours later on her own street raised even more questions. Despite numerous witnesses confirming they had seen her leave the bar, no taxi company in Nashville has any record of Smith entering a cab that night. Detective Matthew Filter of the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD) noted that several cab drivers from the area were interviewed but none were linked to the case. “All of them have been interviewed and so far, the ones we were able to identify were eliminated as suspects,” Filter said.
The investigation has revealed some key details from Smith’s friend, who recalls the taxi as being a yellow van driven by a man of Middle Eastern descent. However, without any formal records or concrete evidence, the case has remained a frustrating mystery.
Struthers, who has not given up on finding out what happened to his sister, has expressed his belief that Smith may have been attempting to flee a potential assault during the cab ride. “I honestly believe my sister was trying to flee a cab trying to escape sexual assault,” he said.
In the years since, Struthers has been relentless in his pursuit of justice. Despite the passage of time, he is hopeful that the increased reward will prompt someone to come forward with crucial information. “I wish I could make the reward more. I mean, you can’t put a price on the relationship I had with my sister and the impact she had on everyone’s lives,” Struthers said.
As the investigation continues, family and detectives remain hopeful that new information will surface. In the meantime, Struthers is urging anyone with knowledge of that night to come forward, determined to uncover the truth behind the untimely death of his sister.
