Virginia State Police continues 11-year search for missing Tazewell County man
Nov. 8—cedar bluff, va. — After 11 years, investigators are still seeking a Tazewell County man who left his home on the morning of Nov. 8, 2013 and never returned.
The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation Wytheville Field Office continues to investigate the disappearance of Eric Grady Smith of Cedar Bluff, Va., on the 11th anniversary of his disappearance, according to statement issued Thursday by the state police.
Smith, then 42, reportedly left his house on the morning of Nov. 8, 2013 to go hunting along West Hurt Buggy Road in Tazewell County and never returned.
Smith was last seen wearing camouflage clothing. Smith is described as white, 6 feet 1 inches tall, with brown hair and brown eyes. His weight was around 210 pounds.
There have been numerous searches but so far, there have been no results. Smith was general mine foreman of Buchanan No. 1 for Consol Energy when he disappeared. According to previous reports in the Daily Telegraph, Smith left his cellphone and cigarettes in his home and his wallet in his truck. Leaving the cellphone behind was unusual because as mine foreman, he could be called at any time by his employer.
In November 2014, retired coal miners who had worked with Smith met with the Bluefield Daily Telegraph at a Bluefield, Va. restaurant.
The miners shared the same opinion: The Eric Smith they knew and respected would never abandon his family and career.
Smith was often the first person to arrive for his shift and he worked to stay current on laws and regulations for coal mine operations, they said then. And despite the stress of his job, Smith had a reputation among the miners for his fairness and good temper.
Besides being fair with his coworkers, Smith was also competitive, and liked to show off cellphone pictures of the turkeys and other game he tracked down, his friends said.
One miner said when investigators asked if anyone had a vendetta against Smith, he could not think of anybody who wanted to harm him.
Anyone with information on Eric Grady Smith can contact the Bureau of Criminal Investigation Wytheville Field Office at 276-228-3131.
Contact Greg Jordan at
