In the late hours of a Tuesday in Fayetteville, Arkansas, the life of Aveyun Smith, a 22-year-old Black/African American male, was tragically cut short. On the night of August 15, 2023, in the parking lot of an apartment complex located at 920 N. Leverett Ave., a dispute escalated to a fatal confrontation. An argument over a gun led to Smith being fatally shot; he was pronounced dead shortly after the incident.
Originally from Stuttgart, Arkansas, Aveyun was known to his loved ones as
'AV'. He was remembered as a very mannerable young man with a big smile. As a child, he had a passion for sports, particularly basketball and football. Throughout his life, one of his favorite pastimes was fishing. He leaves behind a son and a daughter.
The Fayetteville Police Department investigated the shooting, and their efforts led to the arrest of 20-year-old Dominic Heal in October 2023. Heal was subsequently charged with the murder of Aveyun Smith. In the course of the legal proceedings, Dominic Heal pleaded guilty to the killing. The trial was initially delayed but was scheduled to take place in 2024.
