On the early morning of December 14, 2019, law enforcement officials in Bellefontaine Neighbors, Missouri, were alerted to a violent incident in the northern section of St. Louis County. At approximately 2:14 a.m., police officers were dispatched to the 10000 block of Hedge Drive following reports of shots fired in the residential area. Upon their arrival at the scene, first responders discovered an unresponsive individual lying in front of a home.
The victim was identified as Kendric Kortez Donelson, a 35-year-old Black male, who had sustained fatal injuries. Despite the immediate response, he was pronounced dead at the scene, and an autopsy later confirmed that the cause of death was a gunshot wound.
The Bellefontaine Neighbors Police Department quickly requested the assistance of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to lead the homicide investigation. Detectives launched an intensive inquiry, canvassing the neighborhood and following up on leads to identify the person responsible for the shooting. The investigation moved swiftly, utilizing resources from multiple agencies to piece together the events that led to Donelson's death. Within days of the incident, investigators zeroed in on a suspect who they believed was connected to the crime.
On December 18, 2019, authorities announced a significant breakthrough in the case with the arrest of Jimmy Dale Smith. Following a review of the evidence gathered by the Major Case Squad and local police, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office formally filed charges against Smith. He was charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the death of Kendric Donelson. Smith was subsequently held at the St. Louis County Jail on a $750,000 cash-only bond as the legal proceedings commenced.
