Brenda Smith, a 59-year-old female, was working as a clerk at the D & L One Stop in Parma, Missouri, on the evening of May 18, 2015. It was during a robbery at the convenience store that her life was tragically cut short. She was fatally shot after she reportedly refused to open the store's safe for the assailant.
The investigation into the homicide led to the activation of the Major Case Squad.
Their efforts resulted in the arrest of a suspect in connection with the murder of the store clerk. Twenty-one-year-old Deion Martin of Parma was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, first-degree robbery, and armed criminal action for his alleged role in the crime.
Following the charges, the New Madrid County prosecutor announced the intention to seek the death penalty against Martin for the killing of Brenda Smith. Brenda was remembered as a woman who loved her family and enjoyed cooking meals to bring them together. She was born on September 8, 1955, in Perryville, Missouri, and had moved to Parma after her marriage.
