What happened to Amber Smith? Details explored ahead of Dateline: Unforgettable on Oxygen

The upcoming episode of Dateline: Unforgettable is all set to look back at the assault of Amber Smith, a case so chilling that it still sends a wave down Fort Collins, Colorado. Dating back to 2013, this case of physical and s*xual assault has since then been covered extensively, both in the true crime world and in media.

Titled "Left for Dead," the upcoming episode of Dateline: Unfrogettable's synopsis reads,

"The survivor of a horrible attack is convinced the police on the case have the wrong suspect. Keith Morrison looks back on his heart-wrenching interview with the victim and her courageous quest to uncover the truth."

The episode will premiere at 8.00 PM EST on February 15, 2024.

Ahead of the episode, here is a rundown on what happened to Amber Smith and who did it.

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Who is Amber Smith, and what happened to her?

A still of Amber Smith (Image via NBC/Dateline)

Amber Smith is a native of Fort Collins, Colorado. She was 20 at the time this attack took place. An amicable personality, Amber was known for helping out people in need and for being a great mother to her child, Gabriel, with whom she shared a very special bond.

Amber was actively trying to make a better living for herself and her son and had big aspirations for the future. But everything changed on the night of August 30, 2013. While out drinking, Amber reportedly got too drunk. She vaguely remembered her friend dropping her on a park bench. Following that, most things were blurred to the 20-year-old mother.

In the early hours of August 31, patrolling officer Dane Stratton received a distress call about a female screaming for help from inside Cottonwood Glen Park. This was before the light had come out ultimately. Stratton said he could hear the victim's cries clearly by the time he reached the location.

He found Amber Smith bound in red duct tape from head to toe, with a layer of tape covering her face and head. She was stripped of all her clothes and had deep bruises.

Further investigation revealed that she had a broken jaw and intracranial hemorrhage (brain bleed) and was likely strangled as well. It was clear that her attacker had left her to die in the streets. She was also sexually assaulted and mercilessly beaten. Smith was barely alive when Officer Stratton arrived on the scene.

She was still able to identify herself and reveal that she was drinking at Rossborough Park. She also said that the attack took place in a nearby house. It would be a long time before Amber Smith's attacker would be identified and punished.

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Who assaulted Amber Smith?

A still of Amber Smith (Image via NBC/Dateline)

With no leads and little recollection from Amber, the case became increasingly difficult to crack. Authorities only had the DNA sample of the attacker collected from the tapes and Amber's body, but it did not have a match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).

This was until 2017, when Stefan Moon was arrested for pawning a stolen bicycle. While reports don't confirm whether this was the reason Moon's DNA was collected, the police soon matched his DNA to that of Amber's attacker.

In a twisted revelation, it turned out that Stefan Moon had befriended Amber and was living in the same co-living space at the time. He was arrested and sentenced to prison for 128 years to life.

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Catch more about this case on Dateline: Unforgettable on Oxygen.