Murder & Magnolias - Dateline Presents: Deadly Engagement

Episode Date: September 16, 2025

Hey, Dateline fans! As a bonus, we’re giving you a special preview clip of our new podcast series, Deadly Engagement. It’s the story of Denita Smith, a promising young photographer with a bright future and engagement ring from the man she loved. But her future vanished in a puff of smoke when a mysterious assailant shot her dead outside her home. Dateline’s Josh Mankiewicz takes us to North Carolina for a twisted story that reveals a love triangle involving sex, lies and audio tape that had everyone guessing who really killed Denita. If you like what you hear, just search Deadly Engagement to listen to the first two episodes now, completely free. Or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or DatelinePremium.com. Subscribers get early access to new episodes and can listen to all Dateline podcasts ad-free. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, it's Josh Mankewitz from Dateline. Here's a special preview of our new podcast, Deadly Engagement. It was early, too early for most college students, especially during Christmas break. Then again, Danita Smith was not one for sleeping in. At 25, Danita was as disciplined. as a Marine. Maybe because she had a lot on her plate. As a grad student at North Carolina Central University in Durham, Danita was just months away from finishing her master's degree in English. Schoolwork, volunteer work, a magazine internship, and a wedding to plan.

Anyway, it was the internship that had her up at that hour. The bosses liked her to be at her desk by 8.15 a.m. It was eight minutes after eight when Danita opened her door on the third floor and started down the stairs. Did Danita see someone waiting on the second floor landing? We'll never know. We do know that as she turned to take the last set of 16 steps down to the parking lot. A bullet pierced the back of Danita's head and sent her tumbling down the stairs. For nearly two hours, Danita Smith lay in motionless repose on the sidewalk in front of her apartment building, Building 1,100, completely unnoticed, until another student stepped

out of his apartment and saw the contents of Danita's pocket. pocketbook scattered on the stairs. He dialed 9-1-1-1. Telling 911. I take this girl to turn down the stairs. I just walked down my apartment. She's at the bottom of the stairs. Head busted up and blood everywhere.

Okay. And is she breathing? I can't tell. I don't want to touch it. Do you want me to touch it? If you can look at her or if you can just observe, if they're a girl. Hello?

Okay. She responded to you at all? She's not even moving. Okay. All right. Just so you know, the embellance is already on the way. Or do you want me to get her idea out of her pocket? If you can, if you feel comfortable doing that.

And then you're Danita Monita Smith. De Nita? Oh, she's moving, man. Okay. This is the story of what happened to Danita Smith and the hunt for a killer. It's about love and hate. trust and betrayal. It's about truth and lies and the deadliest of sins, lust, pride, envy, and wrath.

It just shows you that, man, our actions have consequences, and it may seem as though as, hey, you know, we're all grown-ups here, but stuff happens, and in this situation, some pretty bad stuff happening. Oh, yes, this is a story about. about bad stuff all right. It's about revenge and the reckoning that eventually comes for anyone with a conscience. One selfish act destroyed two families. I want her remembered for her intelligence, for her beauty, for her class, someone who just entered your life and made it even more spectacular than before. Just a bright light in this world. I'm Josh Mancoitz,

and this is Deadly Engagement, a podcast from Dateline. Thanks for listening. Search for deadly engagement to hear the full episode now completely free or subscribe to Dateline Premium on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to get early access to new episodes and to listen ad-free.