Patrick Hunt was remembered by loved ones as funny, outgoing, and the very best brother and friend anyone could ask for. A 56-year-old male who was always happy and willing to lend a hand, his life came to a sudden and violent end on the evening of October 7, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. That night, Hunt was visiting a friend at her home in the 400 block of East Kiowa Street.
Inside the residence, two men who were visiting another friend saw Hunt outside and believed he was
“snooping around.” One of the men, Adrian Smith, opened the door and, without saying a word, fired a handgun at Hunt. At approximately 9:34 p.m., officers from the Colorado Springs Police Department responded to a shots-fired call and found Hunt suffering from at least one gunshot wound in front of the home. First responders attempted life-saving measures, but he succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The Colorado Springs Police Department’s Homicide Unit immediately began an investigation. Two days later, on October 9, the El Paso County Coroner’s Office conducted an autopsy, confirming Hunt’s identity and officially ruling his death a homicide. It was the 26th homicide investigation in the city that year. Detectives learned that after the shooting, Smith and the other man, James Daryl Davis III, had threatened witnesses and forced them to drive them away from the scene.
On October 30, 2023, the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office arrested Adrian Smith, then 39, in connection with the killing. He was initially charged with first-degree murder. James Daryl Davis III was also charged for his alleged role in the incident, including kidnapping and being an accessory to the crime.
In February 2025, Adrian Smith, then 40, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and second-degree kidnapping for his role in Patrick Hunt's death. A judge sentenced him to serve 40 years in prison. The case against James Daryl Davis III, who pleaded not guilty to his charges, was set to proceed separately as of February 2025.
