A quiet, humble, and inventive young man, Demajhio Smith was remembered by his family as a kind and gentle soul. The 26-year-old, a male, mostly kept to himself, valuing time with his family and closest loved ones. His father, Ronald Smith, described him as a creative person, full of ideas and inventions he was eager to share. As a child, he loved playing outside, but grew to be a soft-spoken adult. "Very, very very soft-spoken," his father recalled.
"So soft sometimes you'd have to get your ears so close to him to hear what he had to say.” His inventive mind was something his father cherished, and he hoped to one day create a business around his son's ideas. Demajhio's love for his mother and siblings was profound, and his family knew him as much more than the tragic circumstances of his death.
On the evening of Thursday, October 15, 2026, Demajhio’s life was cut short in Holladay, Utah, a suburb of Salt Lake City. At about 8:35 p.m., the Unified Police Department received a call reporting a single gunshot near Murray Holladay Road and Highland Drive. Officers searched the area but found nothing suspicious. More than two hours later, at 10:47 p.m., a second 911 call came in, this time reporting a man down and requesting an ambulance.
Police responded to the Chateau Foret condominium complex at 4878 Highland Circle. There, in one of the parking stalls, they found Demajhio Smith. He was deceased. The quiet residential area, nestled in the Salt Lake Valley, became the scene of a homicide investigation as detectives from the Unified Police Department's Violent Crimes and Forensic Units arrived.
The news of Demajhio's violent death was a devastating shock to his family. His grandmother, Deborah Smith, learned of the tragedy on Friday morning and had to deliver the horrific news to Demajhio's father. "To tell my son was horrible, that was the most horrible thing I had to do,” she said. Ronald Smith was consumed by disbelief, saying, "It's a feeling that, I've never ever felt... in disbelief, as if they had the wrong child.” The family's grief was compounded by the limited information they received from investigators in the initial days.
The investigation by the Unified Police Department led to the arrest of two juvenile males. Police stated that the two were interviewed and booked into a juvenile detention center. A weapon was also recovered, and authorities announced that they were not looking for any other suspects. The names and ages of the two juveniles were not released to the public.
In the wake of the tragedy, Demajhio’s family was left to navigate their profound loss while planning his funeral. Two GoFundMe campaigns were organized by family members to help cover the unexpected expenses and allow them to focus on mourning their beloved son, nephew, and family member. One organizer wrote, "To the people who loved Demajhio, they know he was so much more than the circumstances surrounding his passing. He was a beloved son, family member, and loved one whose life was taken far too soon, and his absence has left a deep emptiness in so many hearts."
As of late October 2026, the Unified Police Department stated that the investigation was still active and that more information would be released as it became available. The family expressed their frustration with the lack of details, with Ronald Smith stating the investigation seemed to have "stalled." The case against the two arrested juveniles is proceeding through the juvenile court system. There have been no public updates on charges or court proceedings. Demajhio's father hopes to honor his son's memory by bringing some of his many inventions to life, a testament to the creative spirit that was so senselessly extinguished.
