Francis Clifford Smith

Uncommon card · No. 112682

Francis Clifford Smith (September 1, 1924 – June 25, 2026) was an American convicted murderer who was believed to be the longest-serving inmate in United States history. He was sentenced to death for the murder of a nightwatchman during a robbery at a yacht club in July 1949; his sentence was commuted to life in prison in 1954. Smith maintained innocence his entire life. He had several brief stints outside of prison, including a two-week escape in 1967 and spending 10 months out on parole in 1975. However, after returning to prison, Smith remained an inmate until July 2020, when he was paroled and moved to a nursing home, remaining on supervised parole until his death in 2026.

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