At the time of her sons' murders, Susan Smith was estranged from her husband, David, who was also the father of the two boys. During that time, she was carrying on an affair with a man named Tom Findlay. According to Smith, she wanted to get more serious with Findlay, but he said he did not want children. And it was that claim that prompted Smith to murder her two sons.

Ultimately, Findlay testified against her during the murder trial. While he admitted that he did nor want a relationship with her because she had children, "The Susan Smith I know is very caring, very loving, a good friend to everyone, not just me," he said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "She's very pleasant, very nonconfrontational, very upbeat, always trying to look on the bright side of things. The Susan I knew was not a vindictive person."

Findlay also said that Smith was mentally unstable, and that he never asked her to kill her children. In his testimony, he made clear that their relationship was that of "friends with benefits" and he had no intention of making it any more serious than what it already was. 

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