St. George’s WILD Mystery… WHERE IS MACIN SMITH?!
It's hard to believe, but over 9 years have passed since 17-year-old Macin Smith vanished from his home in St. George, never to return. At the time, Macin was a senior at Desert Hills High School. When he didn’t come home after school, it was discovered that Macin hadn’t attended school that day—or even boarded the bus that morning.
MACIN'S LAST NIGHT AT HOME:
Macin had a deep love for anime, a style of Japanese animation typically aimed at adults. It was common for him to stay up late watching anime on his phone or iPad, so his parents usually unplugged the Wi-Fi router at night to encourage him to sleep. However, that night, the router remained plugged in. Around 1:30 a.m., Macin's dad, Darrin, checked on him and found Macin in bed, still watching anime. Darrin took away Macin's phone and iPad, telling him to go to sleep. The next morning, they heard Macin getting ready for school as usual. The day seemed normal until Macin didn’t return home. Worried, his parents, Tracy and Darrin, contacted the St. George Police and filed a missing persons report. They initially hoped Macin was just upset about losing his iPad and was "blowing off steam," expecting him to return later. He never did.
Macin left without taking his phone or wallet, making his disappearance even more perplexing. About a week later, Macin's mom and aunt found a note tucked into his wallet. Although the note hasn’t been fully disclosed to the public, it led his mom and aunt to believe he may have committed suicide. His mother mentioned that the note stated he was "done." However, the meaning of that phrase remains open to interpretation. St. George Police pointed out that most people who intend to commit suicide typically leave a note in a visible place for their family to find, rather than hiding it. The note was also not addressed to anyone specifically.
Despite numerous claims of sightings, none have been officially confirmed.
A POSSIBLE SIGHTING:
In 2018, at a Panda Express in West Valley, Utah, a man approached two women asking for change to catch the bus. The women gave him change and later learned about Macin Smith's case. They both strongly believed that the man they encountered was Macin Smith. The man also reportedly had a speech impediment, which Macin had as well. Macin's mom, Tracy, had the women call Macin’s phone to hear his voicemail, and they confirmed that the voice matched the man they met at Panda Express. Unfortunately, the security cameras at Panda Express were not recording during that time.
SEARCH EFFORTS:
There have been numerous search parties, with horses and cadaver dogs scouring around 50 square miles around Macin's home in St. George. Yet, no sign of him has ever been found, leaving more questions than answers.
FEATURED ON 'DISAPPEARED' ON MAX:
In 2017, Macin’s case was featured on an episode of the show "Disappeared," which you can watch on MAX (formerly HBO MAX). His case is covered in Season 8, Episode 2. During the episode, Macin's dad, Darrin, mentioned that some people believe he was involved in his son’s disappearance. Both of Macin’s parents took polygraph tests, which they claim to have passed. However, the episode states that St. George Police have never confirmed whether they passed, maintaining that the investigation remains open.
MY PERSPECTIVE:
After 9 years, I started to believe that Macin was no longer alive, suspecting that he may have taken his own life. However, as I learned more about this case, my opinion shifted. With no trace of Macin or his remains within 50 square miles of St. George, I believe there’s a chance he is still alive. It seems unlikely that someone would travel far away just to commit suicide. If that was the intention, wouldn’t they do it closer to home? The absence of any remains leads me to think he might have left and is living somewhere else. But why hasn’t he contacted his mom after all these years? Could it be embarrassment or fear of legal consequences? I don’t have all the answers, but I don’t believe Macin took his own life. I think someday we will uncover the truth behind this mysterious cold case in St. George, Utah.
If you’ve seen Macin Smith please call the St. George Police Dept. (435) 627-4300.
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