On a Sunday evening in August 2019, 27-year-old Shanina Smith was working her shift at the Lear Corporation plant in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama, a factory that supplies parts for Mercedes-Benz. The day started like any other for Smith, a mother to a young son and engaged to be married. She had a conversation with her mother before leaving for work, a final exchange that would become a painful memory.
The tragic events unfolded on the assembly line when Smith’s coworker, Angela Nichole
Mayo, then 28, fatally shot her. Mayo shot Smith multiple times and she died at the scene. Following the shooting, Mayo left the factory but later surrendered to the authorities. The incident was a shock to the community and to Smith's family, who described her as a sweet and loving person.
During the investigation, Mayo alleged that she had been bullied by Smith at work for months and claimed she feared their conflict would escalate physically. However, Smith’s family vehemently denied these allegations, stating that Shanina was not a bully. Investigators found that Mayo had purchased ammunition on the day of the shooting and had been practicing at a gun range days prior, suggesting a degree of premeditation.
Angela Mayo was arrested and charged with murder. After a period of evaluation to determine her competency to stand trial, during which she was sent to a psychiatric hospital, she was ultimately deemed fit for legal proceedings. In May 2021, Mayo pleaded guilty to the murder of Shanina Smith and was sentenced to 50 years in prison.
In the aftermath of the criminal case, Shanina Smith's mother, on behalf of Smith's young son, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against both Angela Mayo and the Lear Corporation. The lawsuit claimed that Lear was aware of a history of harassment and threats from Mayo towards Smith and was negligent in not taking action to prevent the violence. The family argued that the company lacked adequate security measures to prevent an employee from bringing a gun into the workplace.
