On a late Monday morning, January 6, 2025, the life of 22-year-old David Smith of Mount Vernon, a Black male, was cut short in a fatal shooting at the Heritage Homes complex on Rhoda Quash Lane in New Rochelle. Responding to reports of gunfire around 10:49 a.m., New Rochelle Police discovered Smith with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. Emergency medical aid was rendered at the scene before he was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into
the targeted shooting, believed to have stemmed from a personal dispute over money, quickly led to the identification of several individuals. Within a day, detectives had apprehended three men in connection with the homicide. Two were taken into custody at the scene for questioning, while a third was located in the Bronx seeking treatment for a gunshot wound to his hand. These individuals were identified as 21-year-old Marquis Williamson of Newark, New Jersey, 21-year-old Amiri Oneal of Mount Vernon, and 20-year-old Anthony Webster, also of Mount Vernon. Williamson and Oneal face charges of second-degree murder. Webster was charged with criminal possession of a weapon and first-degree robbery.
A fourth suspect, 21-year-old Ali Mohammed of Mount Vernon, turned himself in to authorities two days after the shooting. Believed to be the gunman, Mohammed was charged with second-degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon. According to the felony complaint, Williamson and Oneal allegedly held Smith to the ground while Mohammed shot him multiple times. The complaint also alleges that Webster held a firearm to Smith's head while the others stole his phone, credit cards, and keys. Investigators recovered multiple handguns connected to the case.
At the time of his death, David Smith was facing his own legal troubles. He was accused of operating a sophisticated phishing scheme that defrauded DoorDash drivers of nearly $1 million. He had been scheduled for a court appearance in Stamford, Connecticut, just two days after he was killed, to either accept or reject a plea deal in that case. Following his death, the fraud case against him was dismissed.
