VERMONT — In a quiet neighborhood just outside Middlebury, 20 police officers spent the afternoon conducting a detailed search at the home of 21-year-old swimmer Lia Smith, whose tragic death continues to leave her community heartbroken.
According to investigators, the search was not about uncovering evidence of foul play — but about understanding Lia’s final days. Inside her room, officers discovered what one described as “a shrine to her passion.”
Dozens of swimming medals, competition ribbons, photographs, and handwritten notes were carefully laid out across the walls and shelves. A single framed picture — showing Lia smiling with her teammates after a big win last season — stood at the center of her desk, surrounded by dried flowers and a pair of her goggles.
On the back of that photo, officers found a short message in Lia’s handwriting:
“Always keep swimming.”
Police say the words appear to be a personal note or a quiet reminder to herself — something that reflects her dedication, discipline, and love for the sport she lived for.
Detectives spent hours documenting every item before sealing the room for further forensic review. A source close to the investigation told reporters that the scene “felt more like a memorial than a search.”
Friends who gathered outside the house described Lia as “the kind of person who would wake up before sunrise just to practice laps alone.” One former teammate said through tears: “She always said the water was the only place she could think clearly.”
As the investigation continues, the discovery of these deeply personal mementos paints a tender picture of a young woman who gave everything to the sport she loved — and leaves behind a legacy that her teammates say will never fade.