In the fall of 2021, a tragedy unfolded in a downtown Rochester apartment building that cut short the life of a young man known for his infectious smile and laughter. Malakai Uriah Benjamin Smith, a 19-year-old male, was killed on November 11, 2021, in a violent act that also claimed the life of 22-year-old Tywan Harper. The double homicide marked a grim milestone for the city, contributing to what was then the deadliest year in its history.
Remembered by loved ones as a loving son,
brother, and friend who marched to the beat of his own drum, Malakai's sudden and tragic death left a void in the lives of those who knew him. He was a young man with his life ahead of him, and his passing was a profound loss to his family and the community.
In the wake of the killings, the Rochester Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of Timothy Brown in December 2021. Brown was subsequently charged with two counts of second-degree murder. The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of justice for the families of the victims. In June 2023, a jury found Timothy Brown guilty of shooting and killing Malakai Smith and also causing the death of Tywan Harper. For his crimes, Brown was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
