Cecelia Hargrove was an 18-year-old woman with a future ahead of her, known in her school days for her intelligence. In 2017, as a younger student, she participated in the Richmond Community Schools District Spelling Bee, an event showcasing the area's bright young minds. Nine years later, her life was cut short by a burst of gunfire through the front door of a home.
In the early morning hours of Monday, September 28, 2026, police were called to the 800 block of South East Street in
Richmond, Indiana, for a report of shots fired. The call came in around 6:23 a.m. When officers from the Richmond Police Department arrived at the residence, they found Cecelia Hargrove deceased at the scene. She had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Two other victims, both juveniles, were also found with gunshot injuries.
Emergency medical services transported the two injured youths to Reid Health for initial treatment. Due to the severity of their injuries, they were later airlifted by medical helicopter to hospitals in Dayton, Ohio, for more advanced care. The quiet residential street, located near U.S. 27, was transformed into a major crime scene as investigators began the work of piecing together the morning’s violent events.
The investigation quickly revealed the shooting was not a random act. According to court documents, the incident began with a prior confrontation. A man, later identified as Joshua W. Smith of Tennessee, and a juvenile accomplice had allegedly gone to the home earlier and taken a ski mask and a pair of shoes. They returned to the residence a short time later and tried to get back inside, but Cecelia and the other occupants refused to let them in, locking the door against them. In response, Smith allegedly fired at least eight shots through the closed door, striking the three people inside.
Within 24 hours of the shooting, Richmond Police Department detectives made their first arrest, taking a juvenile suspect into custody in connection with the incident. As the investigation continued, police identified the second suspect and secured an arrest warrant for Joshua W. Smith on a charge of murder. Investigators recovered surveillance video showing two people near the home just before the shooting, as well as a shoe, clothing, and a gun believed to be connected to the crime.
While the juvenile suspect was apprehended, Smith remained at large. The Richmond Police Department publicly asked for assistance in locating him, urging anyone with information on his whereabouts to come forward. The department stated that the investigation was active and ongoing.
As of late September 2026, the juvenile was in custody while Joshua W. Smith was still a wanted fugitive. The case is a painful reminder of how a dispute can escalate to deadly violence, leaving a family to mourn the loss of a young woman and a community to grapple with the aftermath. Anyone with information about the shooting or the location of Joshua W. Smith is asked to contact the Richmond Police Department at 765-983-7247 or via email at [email protected].
