A mother and two young sons are murdered in their home In the pre-dawn hours of March 10, 2017, a horrific act of violence shattered the peace of a Gentilly, New Orleans home. Inside, 30-year-old Monique Smith and two of her children, 10-year-old Justin Simms Jr. and 6-year-old Jumyrin Smith, were shot and killed while they were apparently sleeping. The crime, which took place around 4:18 a.m. inside their brick house, also left Smith's 12-year-old daughter, A'miya, critically injured from a gunshot wound to the face.
Responding to a call
about a shooting, New Orleans police discovered a scene that Chief Michael Harrison described as 'horrific'. The three victims were found in their bedrooms, having been shot multiple times, and were pronounced dead at the scene. Miraculously, A'miya Smith survived the attack and was transported to a hospital for emergency surgery. In the wake of the tragedy, details about the motive for the killings were scarce, and the police department remained tight-lipped about the investigation.
Despite the brutality of the crime, no arrests have ever been made in the case, and it remains an open and unsolved investigation. The father of the children, Justin Simms, who was separated from Monique Smith at the time, has publicly expressed his anguish and frustration with the lack of progress in finding those responsible. While the New Orleans Police Department did release a sketch of a possible suspect at one point, it did not lead to any arrests. A reward was offered by Crimestoppers for any information that could lead to an arrest, but years later, the family and the community are still waiting for justice for Monique Smith and her two young sons.
