On a summer afternoon in North Bellport, New York, the life of 28-year-old Lee Houpe was violently cut short. On June 15, 2022, at approximately 1:45 p.m., Houpe was standing in a friend's driveway on Post Avenue when a car pulled up. The driver, identified as his 28-year-old neighbor Shati Smith, exited the vehicle and opened fire on Houpe.
The attack was brutal and swift. Smith first shot Houpe three times, causing him to collapse.
Smith then stood over Houpe and fired an additional seven shots, striking him in the face, arm, and chest. Following the shooting, Smith got back into his car and fled the scene. Houpe was rushed to Long Island Community Hospital in Patchogue, where he was pronounced dead.
An investigation quickly pointed to Smith as the perpetrator. Authorities alleged the motive stemmed from social media posts Houpe had made alluding to online messages Smith had reportedly sent to Houpe's teenage cousin. Less than 24 hours after the posts were made, Smith confronted and killed Houpe, who was unarmed and holding only a cigarette and a cellphone.
Following the shooting, Smith fled to Virginia in an attempt to evade capture. However, through the efforts of the Suffolk County Police Department, he was located in Newport News. Smith was arrested and, after waiving extradition, was returned to Suffolk County to face charges.
Shati Smith was indicted on charges of second-degree murder and two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. His trial concluded on May 5, 2025, with a jury finding him guilty on all counts. On June 5, 2025, Smith was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for what the Suffolk County District Attorney called the 'cold and calculated murder of Lee Houpe.'
