In an act of kindness that tragically turned fatal, 21-year-old Dennishia Smith was shot and killed on May 10, 2022, in East Point, an Atlanta suburb. Smith, a young woman described by her family as fun, outgoing, and loyal, was attempting to help a man named Shelton Cruz Handspike by letting him stay at her apartment. The situation soured when Smith, who was struggling to pay her own rent, asked Handspike to move out of her home at the Lexington Apartments on Washington Road.
The
request escalated into a heated argument. During the dispute, Handspike reportedly took a gun from another woman who was present in the apartment. Despite Smith's attempts to defend herself, Handspike allegedly overpowered her and shot her multiple times. Her mother, Shalica Reed, later expressed her devastation, stating that her daughter was simply trying to be a friend to someone in need.
Following the shooting, Handspike then turned the gun on himself. He survived the self-inflicted gunshot wound and was subsequently arrested by East Point police. Authorities charged Handspike with murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was taken into custody and held at the Fulton County Jail without bond.
