Hi opportunist fans, I'm Sarah James McLaughlin.

You don't know me, but I am the host of Vigilante,

a podcast about regular people who take justice into their own hands,

for better or for worse.

Opportunists will soon be returning with all new episodes, but before opportunists

returns we would love for you to check out this episode of Vigilante about Byron Smith, a Minnesota

man who set a trap in his own home and killed two teenagers after a string of burglaries.

Smith claims self-defends, but also recorded himself killing the would-be robbers.

So head on over to Vigilante to listen to other new episodes and enjoy this one as we all wait for opportunists to return.

This episode includes discussion of murder., listener discretion is advised.

It was the afternoon of November 22nd, 2012, Thanksgiving Day, and Little Falls, Minnesota.

It's a small city about 100 miles north. Thanksgiving Day and Little Falls, Minnesota.

To a small city about 100 miles northwest of Minneapolis.

Throughout town, families were gathered celebrating the holidays together.

However, Byron Smith was not with his family. The 64-year-old retired

security specialist was sitting alone in his basement in the dark.

But soon he was about to play host to some uninvited guests.

Smith heard an upstairs window shatter, someone had broken into his house, but he didn't go up to see who it was or what was happening. He just sat in his armchair and waited, patiently, with a rifle.

For 12 whole minutes Smith listened to the sounds of footsteps

shuffling above him and door knobs rattling.

And then, Er had what what he been waiting for, the footsteps

coming down the stairs. Through the darkness, Smith saw someone making their way down into

...