In the early morning hours of September 29, 2012, the life of 28-year-old Travis Smith, a Black male, was tragically cut short in a violent and still unsolved act. Known to his friends and family as a laid-back and funny man, a proud father, and an avid basketball lover, Smith was at the Ridgeview Manor Apartments in North Augusta, South Carolina, spending time with friends, a common pastime for him.
On that particular night, friends noted that Travis seemed more on edge than his usual
self, even tweeting that 'something just don't feel right.' Despite his unease, he remained at the apartment complex. Around 2:47 a.m., he was in the breezeway of an apartment building, talking with a woman he had just met. Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by the approach of two or three men, their faces obscured by hoods. The woman, sensing danger, ran into her apartment. Moments later, a single gunshot rang out.
Wounded in the upper torso, Travis sought refuge inside the apartment he had been standing in front of, where he collapsed and succumbed to his injuries. The North Augusta Public Safety department responded to a 911 call reporting the gunshot and found him unresponsive. He was unarmed at the time of the shooting. The motive for the attack remains a mystery, as there was reportedly no confrontation or argument before the fatal shot was fired.
In the years that have followed, the investigation into Travis Smith's murder has grown cold. No arrests have ever been made, and the identities of the men in hoods remain unknown. The lack of clear descriptions from witnesses has hampered the investigation, leaving law enforcement with few leads to follow. Despite the passage of time, Travis's family, particularly his sister, has been relentless in their pursuit of justice. They have held rallies, handed out flyers, and in a more recent effort to generate new information, a billboard was erected in North Augusta pleading for anyone with knowledge of the case to come forward. The case remains open, a painful and unresolved chapter for a family still grieving the sudden and senseless loss of a loved one.
