Auxiliary Lieutenant Ronald Gordon Smith, aged 46, was shot and killed on September 14, 1977, while conducting a stakeout at a convenience store in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The stakeout was part of an effort to curb a series of armed robberies in the area. During the incident, a 25-year-old man attempted to rob the store and shot Lieutenant Smith when he tried to arrest him.
The suspect was later identified and charged with first-degree murder and several armed robberies.
On March 17, 1978, he was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. As of 2022, he was still incarcerated with a projected release date in 2060.
Lieutenant Smith was the commander of the Cumberland County Auxiliary Officers and was survived by his wife and two daughters. His death was one of the 13 line-of-duty deaths recorded by the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office since 1916.
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