Dexter Prather, a 42-year-old man from Waco, Texas, was tragically killed on March 4, 2017, during a shooting at the Empire nightclub in Harker Heights, Texas. Prather, who was a father and small business owner, was at the club early Saturday morning when shots were fired in the parking lot. Along with Prather, Damion Hopkins, 27, was also killed in the incident.
The investigation revealed that Prather and Hopkins had gotten into an altercation while playing dice before five rounds were
fired, hitting both men. Olishea LaShawn Smith, a 29-year-old woman from Waco, was identified as the suspect and was arrested days after the shooting. Smith later surrendered to police and was held on a $1 million bond.
In December 2018, Smith was convicted of the double murder and sentenced to 35 years in prison. The family of Dexter Prather remembered him as a loving and humorous person who always made people smile. His mother, Debra Brown, recalled a conversation with her son just days before the incident, where he expressed his sadness over friends losing their lives to violence.
The case brought attention to the issue of violence in nightclubs and the impact it has on families and communities. The families of both Prather and Hopkins sought justice and closure, hoping that the perpetrator would show remorse for her actions.
In summary, Dexter Prather, a 42-year-old father and small business owner, was killed in a nightclub shooting in Harker Heights, Texas, in 2017. The suspect, Olishea LaShawn Smith, was arrested and later sentenced to 35 years in prison for the double murder.
