Women Behind Bars bio

Charge: First-degree murder
Sentence: Life in prison
Prison: Tennessee Prison for Women, Tennessee

Teresa Deion Smith Harris, known as Deion, was born in 1970 in Tennessee. Her mother struggled with chronic health issues so Deion spent much of her time with her grandmother. But in the seventh grade, her grandmother was killed in a car accident and Deion’s world fell apart. She began spending time at her sister’s home; she claims that she was exposed to drugs and alcohol, and was sexually exploited. Deion fell deeper and deeper into alcohol and drug use, telling no one about the sexual assaults. When she turned 15, she was placed in rehab and was able to discuss the years of abuse. Her parents claim they were shocked and horrified. Her mother says she asked Deion’s sister and brother-in-law to confirm the allegations but they denied they took place. Deion graduated from rehab clean and sober, but soon she slipped back into her old ways. Two years later, at age 17, she found herself pregnant and gave birth to a son. She managed to graduate high school and then had a baby girl. She attempted to create a home for the children and married Jim Harris, the father of her baby girl. When the marriage fell apart, Deion found herself alone and vulnerable. At 22 she met 25-year-old Walter Smothers. Despite Smothers’ reputation as a tough guy, Deion quickly let him move in with her. Their relationship was a volatile one.

At what was to be their last party, their neighbor, 22-year-old Stacy Ramsey, joined the couple. As Deion tells it, they were drinking and taking valiums. Walter became irate when an ex-boyfriend of Deion’s called and the threesome, armed with Stacey’s shotgun, headed off to find him. After drinking and driving around for hours, Walter’s truck broke down just before midnight. With Deion as a decoy, 19-year-old college freshman Dennis Brooks, Jr. stopped and rolled down his window to help her. Walter and Stacy pulled the shotgun on him, ordering him to get out of the car and lie on the ground. Dennis was then forced to lie on the bed of his truck. Stacy drove while Walter allegedly shot him several times until he was dead. The trio took the body to a deserted area where Walter and Stacy dismembered the body. Deion claims she stood nearby watching, fearing for her own life. They then drove to a nearby field, stuffed the corpse in the victim’s truck, set it on fire in the hours just before dawn, and returned to Deion’s home. The following afternoon, a passerby saw the smoldering truck and reported it to the sheriff’s office. It would take investigators approximately 18 hours to narrow down a list of suspects. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations visited Stacy Ramsey. Their next stop was Deion’s house. Deion said she offered to tell them what happened if they agreed to keep Walter away from her. Stacy, Walter and Deion were charged with first-degree-murder. Deion signed a statement holding Walter entirely responsible for the murder. Walter countered by saying that all three were equally culpable. In exchange for his statement, the prosecution spared Walter from the death penalty and he pled guilty. Stacy and Deion had separate trials. At Deion’s trial, the victim’s father got on the witness stand and begged for Deion’s life because of her two children. Both she and Stacy were convicted and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Once Deion began serving her sentence, she resolved to turn her life around. She has a job, which has helped her to be independent and to do things for her children. In 2003, she married Tim McDonald, a retired airline pilot who had corresponded with her by mail. With Tim’s support, Deion has been able to build a better life for children and herself from behind bars. She asks for forgiveness from the people whom she hurt.