Do you know who murdered Wardell Smith? In the heart of Northeast Washington, D.C., a feud between neighborhood groups is believed to have culminated in the tragic death of 17-year-old Wardell Smith. On the night of Wednesday, March 3, 2004, at approximately 10:40 pm, the young man, a junior at Eastern High School and a father to a 4-month-old son, was shot multiple times in the 3000 block of 25th Street NE.
He succumbed to his injuries at the scene before help could arrive, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers. More than 10 shell casings were found near his body, a stark testament to the violence of the attack.
Family members shared that they believed Wardell was targeted by rivals from a neighboring area. They recounted that he had been threatened at gunpoint by someone from the other group earlier on the same day he was killed. This was not the first instance of violence he had faced; in the months prior to his death, he had been beaten by a group of youths, resulting in a broken jaw and a punctured lung. His mother, Mary Smith, described her youngest of eight children as stubborn and inclined to explore the life on the streets.
Despite the dangers he faced, those who knew him remembered a different side of Wardell. His girlfriend and the mother of his child, Chiquita Walton, recalled a caring partner who would satisfy her pregnancy cravings. Family and friends remembered his love for joking, his pitch-perfect impressions, and a funny dance he copied from a character on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.' Just half an hour before the fatal shooting, he was on the phone with his girlfriend, lovingly yelling 'This dada!' to his infant son.
As of the initial reports, the Metropolitan Police Department had not made any arrests in connection with the homicide and sought the public's assistance for any information. Years later, the case remained unsolved, with the police offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for Wardell Smith's death. The investigation continues as his family awaits justice.
