Paul Eugene Smith, a 16-year-old from LaGrange, Georgia, was born on June 14, 2010. He was the son of Paul Patrick Smith and the late Ashley Nichole Russum Stroud. Paul was part of a large, close-knit family and is survived by his father, numerous siblings—Anthony, Areana, and Aliea Russum, and Aaliyah Strickland, Ryder Smith, and Cooper Smith—and his grandparents, Paul and Tina Smith and Brandy Camp. He was preceded in death by his mother and his maternal grandparents.
His extended family included several aunts, uncles, and cousins who mourned his sudden and tragic loss.
The evening of October 13, 2026, turned fatal for the teenager. Investigators with the Troup County Sheriff’s Office believe Paul was shot multiple times at a residence on Sims Road in the unincorporated community of Hogansville. What led to the shooting has not been publicly disclosed by authorities. After he was shot, another individual who was with Paul drove him away from the Sims Road home. This person then called 911 for help, bringing deputies and emergency services to their location.
Just after 7 p.m., deputies were dispatched to the 200 block of Bass Cross Road, a few miles from the initial scene, after the 911 call reported a person in a car had been shot. First responders arrived to find Paul unresponsive inside the vehicle with apparent gunshot wounds. They immediately began life-saving measures at the scene. Paul was then rushed by ambulance to Wellstar West Georgia Medical Center in LaGrange. Despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The investigation into Paul’s death was handled by the Troup County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division, under the direction of Sheriff James Woodruff. Within hours of the initial 911 call, investigators identified a suspect. Just before 10 p.m. that same night, deputies returned to the house on Sims Road where the shooting was believed to have occurred. There, they arrested 21-year-old Hunter Smith without incident.
Hunter Smith of Hogansville was transported to the Troup County Jail and booked in the early hours of October 14, 2026. He was charged with murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Authorities have not commented on a motive for the shooting or publicly stated what relationship, if any, existed between Paul and the man arrested for his murder.
In the days following his death, Paul’s family gathered to remember him. A visitation was held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at Higgins Funeral Home at Hunter Allen Myhand in LaGrange, followed by a Celebration of Life memorial service in the chapel, officiated by Pastor Zack Brown.
The case against Hunter Smith moved into the court system. As of the initial reports in October 2026, the investigation was considered active and ongoing. Further details about the progression of the litigation have not been made available.
