Darren Michael Smith, a 55-year-old music teacher from Fairfax, was discovered dead in the Point Reyes National Seashore, according to the county coroner’s office. Smith’s body was located a day after his arrest by Marin County sheriff’s detectives, who subsequently released him on a $200,000 bail from the Marin County Jail. The incident unfolded on Wednesday afternoon when authorities received a report of a surfer in distress near Drakes Beach. Chief Deputy Coroner Roger Fielding stated that Smith was last seen that morning, and investigators believe his surfboard washed ashore a few hours later.
Multiple agencies, including the U.S. National Park Service and the Marin County Fire Department, initiated a search for Smith. Unfortunately, his body was found floating 2.5 miles from the Drakes Beach parking lot. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was dispatched to recover the body, and Smith was pronounced dead. Fielding mentioned that a routine toxicology examination will be conducted, and the investigation into his death remains ongoing.
Prior to his arrest, Smith had been employed by the Mill Valley School District since 2013, teaching music to students from kindergarten through fifth grade. He had previously worked for 13 years as a music teacher in the Alameda Unified School District. Following reports of alleged sexual offenses by Mill Valley School District staff, Smith was placed on administrative leave, leading to his subsequent arrest.
The Marin County District Attorney’s Office charged Smith with committing a lewd act upon a child younger than 14, along with several related counts. The arraignment was scheduled for Friday. In light of these events, Elizabeth Kaufman, the superintendent of the Mill Valley School District, sent a letter to parents and guardians, acknowledging the loss and the unsettling news surrounding Smith’s arrest. Kaufman assured the community that the district has counselors and staff available to support students who may require assistance in processing the news. She also confirmed that the upcoming parent forums would proceed as planned.
