Death of Dale Smith Remains a Mystery; Police Say No News to Report

say there are no updates to provide on the case of Dale Smith, the Novato man whose body was found buried in his own backyard.

Lt. Rich Hill said the department is still waiting on the results of toxicology testing and a cause of death from the Marin County Sheriff/Coroner's Office and that the duration of testing is no longer than usual.

“We will release what information we can when those results come back,” Hill said. “In these cases, nobody wants to make any assumptions. They test and test and test to because they want to make sure and get it right. It’s for our protection as a law enforcement agency.”

It was more than a month ago — March 3 — when the body exhumed on Feb. 25 under a brick patio at 4 Rebecca Way was identified as Dale Aaron Smith, who had been the subject of a missing persons case. Smith, 74, had not been seen by neighbors on his cul-de-sac for several months. The body was found about four feet below the backyard surface following a search by cadaver dogs.

Smith’s wife, Evelyn Smith, told police on Feb. 9 that her husband was out of town visiting his brother, but investigators checked with the brother and found that wasn’t true. Evelyn Smith, 55, is considered a “person of interest” in the case but remains free. Novato police say they are in contact with her attorneys.

Marin County District Attorney Ed Berberian said March 3 that it would take weeks to determine the cause of death and receive a full toxicology report.

“At this point we’re not in position to have charges filed,” Berberian said a month ago. “The matter is under investigation and review. She has not been arrested; she is a person of interest and that’s where it stands at the moment.”