A domestic dispute in a Shreveport, Louisiana mobile home on an October evening in 2022 escalated into a tragic and fatal event for two young children. In the ensuing chaos, 23-month-old male, Ronald Ronnie Paul Marter, and his 10-month-old sister, Lillian Rose Marter, were abducted from their home. The children's mother was injured during the altercation that preceded the kidnapping.
The suspect, identified as 25-year-old Anthony P. Smith, forced the children into a vehicle and drove to the nearby Bill Cockrell Metro Park. It was there, in the quiet of the park, that Smith shot both of the children before turning the gun on himself. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, they discovered a devastating sight inside a car: Smith was deceased, and with him, little Lillian Rose Marter was also found dead.
Young Ronnie Marter was still alive when he was found and was rushed to Ochsner LSU Health's Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. Despite the urgent medical attention, he succumbed to his wounds shortly after his arrival at the hospital. The Caddo Parish Coroner's Office later confirmed the identities and ages of the two children.
In the wake of the horrific murder-suicide, the Shreveport Police Department continued to investigate the incident. The community was left to mourn the senseless loss of two innocent lives. The children's grandmother created a GoFundMe page to help the grieving family with the unexpected funeral expenses for both toddlers. The relationship between Smith and the children's mother was not made clear in initial reports.
