In the late evening of November 28, 2016, a single act of violence shattered the suburban peace of Dacula, Georgia, claiming the life of 19-year-old Kyree Shakur Smith. A male, Smith was found inside a black passenger car in the parking lot of a McDonald's on Hamilton Mill Road, suffering from a gunshot wound. The call to police was made at 8:46 p.m., a time when the area was bustling with holiday shoppers.
Upon their arrival, a Gwinnett County Police officer discovered the restaurant manager attempting to administer CPR to the young man. The officer joined the life-saving efforts until paramedics arrived. Smith was rushed to Gwinnett Medical Center in Lawrenceville, but his injuries proved to be fatal, and he died at the hospital. Another 19-year-old man who was in the vehicle with Smith at the time of the shooting was unharmed.
Investigators began to piece together the events of that night, exploring the possibility that the shooting was drug-related. Witnesses reported hearing a gunshot before seeing Smith's car lurch over a curb and onto a small embankment. A red passenger car, later identified as a Nissan Sentra, was seen leaving the area immediately after the shooting. The passenger in Smith's car cooperated with the police investigation.
The search for a suspect led authorities to 21-year-old Deveric Trevez Hardy of Tennessee. In early December, Gwinnett County police announced that Hardy was wanted in connection with Smith's death and had been charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and drug charges. His whereabouts were initially unknown.
On December 23, 2016, Deveric Trevez Hardy was arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County jail. The charges filed against him were murder, aggravated assault, and the purchase of marijuana. He was held without bond. The arrest brought a measure of resolution to a case that had unsettled the typically quiet Hamilton Mill area.
