In the summer of 2017, a visit to Bogalusa, Louisiana, turned tragic for a Mississippi man. Jon Kelly Smith, a 54-year-old male from Lumberton, was shot and killed on July 1st of that year. At the time of the incident, Smith was in the company of an unidentified woman. Following the shooting, it was this woman who drove him from the scene back to his home.
The events that led to Smith's death began to unfold, revealing a story of violence that stunned the community.
The investigation into the shooting pointed to a suspect, a 22-year-old man from Bogalusa named Dakeithan D. Matthews. The case against Matthews grew, leading to a significant development in the pursuit of justice for Jon Kelly Smith.
A Washington Parish grand jury handed down an indictment against Dakeithan D. Matthews, formally charging him with second-degree murder and armed robbery with a firearm. The indictment alleged that Matthews was responsible for the fatal shooting of Smith. Furthermore, it was claimed that on the very same day, Matthews used the handgun in the commission of another crime, an armed robbery of a different individual. The indictment marked a crucial step in the legal process, bringing the case into the judicial system as the community awaited the outcome of the trial.
