In the late summer of 2018, the life of 19-year-old Melvon Smith was tragically cut short in Spanish Lake, a community in St. Louis County, Missouri. On the evening of Sunday, September 9th, police were called to the 1200 block of Walker Avenue around 6:45 p.m. for a reported shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Smith in the front yard of a residence, suffering from a gunshot wound. Another teenager, a 17-year-old, was also found nearby with a gunshot wound.
Both were immediately transported to a local hospital for emergency medical treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Melvon Smith succumbed to his injuries and passed away on Monday, September 10, 2018. Following his death, the investigation was officially classified as a homicide. Friends and family remembered the young man, who was known by the nickname '8 Man man' and was a former student of Hazelwood East High School. His funeral services were held on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at the Life Changing Christian Church in Richmond Heights.
The investigation into Smith's death led to an arrest in the weeks that followed. On Tuesday, September 25, 2018, St. Louis County prosecutors charged 18-year-old Anthony C. Hykes with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with the fatal shooting. According to charging documents, the tragic incident stemmed from an argument that erupted between Hykes and Smith during a dice game. The verbal altercation escalated into a physical fight, during which Hykes allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot Smith in the back of the head. Police reported that Hykes then fled the scene and discarded the weapon in a nearby sewer.
