A Pennsylvania woman discovered a 3.09-carat white diamond at Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro, Arkansas, during a visit she hoped would bring comfort after the recent deaths of her son and father.
Keshia Smith found the diamond on April 22 while digging on the south end of the park’s 37.5-acre search area, near a historical marker commemorating the 1906 discovery of Arkansas’s first diamonds. After spotting something shiny in her shovel, Smith initially remained skeptical but later had the stone confirmed as a diamond by park staff at the Diamond Discovery Center.
Smith had been planning the trip for over a year, researching the park and connecting with frequent visitors online. She made the journey with her boyfriend Joey and brother Kirim, arriving on April 21. After losing her son in October and her father in April, Smith said the trip was much needed.
“I have felt so much pressure the last six months. In October I lost my son, and we just buried my dad a week ago. It has been a lot!” Smith told park staff. “I really needed this. I really prayed for this, and I just can’t believe it actually happened!”
The diamond has a flat, smooth appearance about the size of a bead and is colorless with unique inclusions around the edges. Smith said it resembles a heart shape.
Park Interpreter Sarah Bivens noted that larger diamonds are sometimes found during the first hour of searching. “Ms. Smith exuded joy from the moment she walked in the door,” Bivens said. “Sometimes, I think diamond finds like this are just meant to be.”
Smith named her discovery the Za’Novia Liberty Diamond—Za’Novia representing her two grandchildren’s names and Liberty marking America’s 250th anniversary.
The diamond is the second-largest registered at the park in 2026. As of publication, 214 diamonds have been registered at Crater of Diamonds State Park this year.
The park, located on Arkansas Highway 301 in Murfreesboro, is one of the only places in the world where the public can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. More information is available at ArkansasStateParks.com.