Residents of Missoula, Kate Walker and Randy Smith, noted that they have welcomed students on exchange from all around the world. Yet, the person they welcomed from Hamburg, Germany, Diren Dede, was unique. Although though he only spent a semester in Missoula, Diren became quite close with them and almost felt like their own son. So when an unexpected accident permanently ended his life, Kate and Randy were crushed. ‘Dateline NBC: Deadly Exchange’ details his murder and follows the investigation that brought the murderer to justice. But let’s just get into the specifics right now and find out where Kate and Randy are right now, shall we?
Who Are Kate Walker and Randy Smith?
For the most of their lives, Kate Walker and Randy Smith had resided in Missoula, Montana. They had a good reputation in the area and were quite well-liked. While they were recognised for being host parents to countless international exchange students, neighbours also characterised them as a kind couple who enjoyed participating in neighbourhood events and leading a tranquil life. Indeed, according to sources, Kate and Randy have looked after kids from Ecuador as well as students from Italy, Spain, France, and even Italy. Yet, Diren proved to be special as he effectively adopted them as his second set of parents and established up a relationship they hadn’t experienced before.
In August 2013, Diren moved in with Kate and Randy after being accepted as a transfer student to Missoula. Although though they were just scheduled to host Diren for a few days, the couple ended up being his host parents and even assisted him in acclimating to American culture. They even brought Diren to well-known locations, such as Yellowstone National Park and Fairmont Hot Springs, noting that the German student was eager to learn more about his mixed ancestry.
Interestingly, Diren had been residing with Kate and Randy for around eight months at the time of his murder. Robby Pazmino, an exchange student from Ecuador, was also residing in the same house as the German student at the time. In actuality, Diren and Robby had left together on the evening of April 27, 2017, when the former excused himself and moved in a separate direction. But soon after, Robby heard gunfire and hurried back to his house. Robby informed Kate and Randy about the event, and they immediately started looking for Diren before discovering police cars circling Markus Hendrik Kaarma’s home. The couple’s description was used to help identify Diren, who was already deceased by the time law police arrived on the site. Eventually, the authorities discovered that Diren had entered Markus’s garage when the latter shot the foreign exchange student twice with a shotgun, killing him instantly.
Where Are Kate Walker and Randy Smith Today?
Markus claimed when questioned that he shot Diren in self-defense because the latter had broken into his garage. Yet Randy and Kate claimed that the Diren they knew would never commit a crime. Law enforcement officials also learned that the victim was set to return to Germany in two months, thus there was no reason for him to risk his career by breaking into a building. Markus first stated that the garage was dark and he could not see what or who he was shooting at. Nevertheless, his initial allegation contained several inconsistencies. Detectives discovered that Markus and his wife had been planning to lure robbers by hiding a suitcase in the garage with the door open, though the police were sceptical of this story because Diren had been struck straight in the head by the second bullet. Despite the suspect’s claims that he was paranoid since his home had just been looted multiple times, there was enough evidence to support an arrest for intentional homicide.
Regular attendees of Markus’ trial, Kate Walker and Randy Smith were relieved when the judge found him guilty of all charges and sentenced him to 70 years in prison in 2015. Yet, they asserted that Diren had left a sizable void in their lives and that they had previously been reluctant to accept foreign exchange students. Yet, Kate and Randy believed that the only positive to come from the tragedy was their outstanding relationship with Diren’s genuine family. From what I can tell, Kate and Randy are still living in Missoula, Montana, where they have established a peaceful existence for themselves amid family and friends.