86-Year-Old Florence Man Arrested in 1967 Cold Case Murder of 14-Month-Old Baby

Keith Emmanuel Smith, 86, was arrested with the 1967 murder of 14-month-old Roxanne Archuletta. The arrest came after a grand jury indictment was filed in Fremont County last week. Smith faces one amended count of second-degree murder, a Class 2 felony. The arrest comes after Florence Police Department Detectives Jeff Worley and Alex Wold reopened the case in 2021.

The indictment, dated September 5, states that the grand jury found evidence supporting the claim that Smith “did knowingly and maliciously, with implied malice afterthought, break (redacted) spine, thereby causing (redacted) death.”

District Attorney Linda Stanley, representing the 11th Judicial District, said this is the first time a grand jury has been impaneled in the district. “Although we are still very early in the process, we are excited to be able to utilize the grand jury in our attempt to solve this cold case and bring justice to the victims,” Stanley stated in a press release. She also reminded the public that Smith is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Smith has been released from custody after posting a $10,000 bail, as confirmed by jail and court records. He is scheduled to appear in court on September 20.