Rondal Ross Smith Jr., 36, male, was found shot to death on the night of May 21, 2025, on Waco's south side. Officers were dispatched at about 10:05 p.m. to the 5100 block of Hawthorne Drive, where the 36-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene. The time and location details, along with his identification as the victim, were released by police in the immediate aftermath, and his age and date of death match public obituary records.
The gunfire also struck a 16-year-old boy, who survived and was transported to a hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. Police said the teen's condition was stable after treatment, underscoring the sudden violence of a shooting that left one person dead and another wounded in a residential neighborhood.
In the first hours and days after the shooting, detectives said no arrests had been made and sought information from the public. The case was noted as one of Waco's early homicides of 2025 as investigators worked to reconstruct what led to the exchange of gunfire on Hawthorne Drive and to identify those responsible.
On July 23, 2025, police arrested a 16-year-old on a murder charge in connection with the killing of Rondal Ross Smith Jr., 36, male. Because the suspect is a juvenile, authorities did not release a name. Officials emphasized that the broader investigation remained active even after the arrest, indicating that detectives were still processing evidence and pursuing leads tied to the events of May 21.
