On the evening of July 22, 2024, a dispute on the Meriden Green in Connecticut tragically escalated, ending the life of 28-year-old Beth Ndwiga, a Black / African American female. The incident began as a confrontation between Ndwiga and another woman, later identified as 32-year-old Myriah Farrar. Both women were accompanied by a man.
According to witness accounts, Farrar began to attack Ndwiga, who did not appear to fight back.
A man who was with Ndwiga attempted to step in, but was menacingly warned off by the man accompanying Farrar, who brandished a firearm. During the altercation, it is believed that Ndwiga stabbed Farrar in the shoulder. The situation quickly devolved as Ndwiga tried to flee across the Green, but she was pursued by both Farrar and the armed man. The man then shot Ndwiga, causing her to fall to the ground. In what prosecutors would later describe as an "execution-style" slaying, the gunman walked over to where she lay on the sidewalk and fired more shots at her. First responders found her with multiple gunshot wounds to her head and neck, and she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into Meriden's first homicide of the year led police to an apartment on West Main Street the following day, where they believed a woman involved in the incident was located. After evacuating residents and blocking off streets, the SWAT team entered the apartment to find it empty. However, police soon detained Myriah Farrar in connection with the incident. She was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and conspiracy to commit second-degree assault.
For several months, the investigation continued as police worked to identify the male suspect responsible for firing the fatal shots. Their efforts eventually led them to 42-year-old Trevor Smith, a convicted felon. With the help of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, Meriden police arrested Smith and charged him with murder, criminal possession of a firearm, and criminal use of a firearm. He was held on a $3 million bond. Family and friends remembered Ndwiga, a graduate of West Woods Christian Academy who had earned a certificate to work as a medical assistant, as a "really good person" who enjoyed helping others.
