Captain Hall. Credit: MCPD
Detectives from the Montgomery County (Maryland) Department of Police–Major Crimes Division Cold Case Unit have arrested 71-year-old Larry David Smith (also known as Larry David Becker) for killing Montgomery County Special Deputy Sheriff Captain James Tappen Hall in 1971.
On Oct. 23, 1971, at approximately 10:40 p.m., Montgomery County Police officers were called to the Manor Country Club in Rockville after witnesses reported a man lying face down in the southeast parking lot. Officers arrived at the scene and located Hall suffering from a gunshot wound. Hall was transported to an area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries three days later.
Investigators believe that Hall interrupted a residential burglary in progress.
In October 2021, the 50th anniversary of Hall’s homicide, detectives from the Cold Case Unit decided to review the case with a fresh set of eyes.
For almost a year, Detective K. Leggett and Corporal L. Killen of the Cold Case Unit combed through case files, recordings and interviewed witnesses. Through the course of their investigation, Leggett and Killen narrowed in on one person, Larry David Becker. In 1973, Becker was interviewed by investigators but had not been labeled a suspect.
Detectives determined that around 1975, Becker began using the last name Smith, and had been living in Little Falls, New York for over 45 years.
On Thursday, September 1, 2022, Leggett and Killen interviewed Smith in New York. During that interview, Smith admitted to shooting Hall.
Smith was then arrested in New York. He waived his extradition and is expected to return to Maryland by Saturday.
To date, Hall’s case is the oldest cold case solved by the Montgomery County Department of Police.
Republished courtesy of Montgomery County Department of Police.