In the late hours of a Tuesday night in Fort Worth, Texas, a dispute in a motel parking lot turned deadly, claiming the life of 34-year-old Markell Shariff Smith. On February 10, 2026, police responded to reports of a shooting at the Central Motel on East Lancaster Avenue around 11:18 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Smith suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.
According to the Tarrant County medical examiner's office, Smith was pronounced dead at 11:36 p.m.
in the parking lot from a gunshot wound to the chest. Investigators determined that Smith and an unidentified man were in the parking lot when a disturbance occurred, which escalated to the unidentified man shooting Smith.
As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. Fort Worth police are actively investigating the homicide and have urged anyone with information to come forward. Witnesses at the scene told detectives that the two men were in the parking lot when the altercation broke out, leading to the fatal shooting. The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to identify the suspect and bring clarity to the events that transpired that night.
