In the summer of 2023, a young man's life was tragically cut short in Savannah, Georgia. 24 year old Devin Smith was killed on Monday, July 3, 2023. His death was the result of a violent encounter that unfolded in the middle of the afternoon at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Duffy Lane.
Authorities responded to the scene to find Smith suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the shooting led to the identification and eventual arrest of two suspects: Robertis Maxwell, who was 25, and Ashton Johnson, who was just 16 years old at the time of the incident.
The motive for the deadly shooting was determined to be a robbery. Maxwell and Johnson were accused of attempting to rob Devin Smith at gunpoint, a confrontation that ultimately led to his death. As the case moved through the legal system, it was revealed that one of the defendants, Robertis Maxwell, was a verified member of the Crips gang.
During the trial, which began in January 2026, prosecutors sought to introduce evidence of these gang connections. Court records indicated that a search of Ashton Johnson's bedroom uncovered a gang flag. Despite these findings, the judge ruled against allowing the introduction of additional gang-related evidence, deeming it to be overly prejudicial. The prosecution contended that Johnson, the younger defendant, had an interest in becoming a gang member. Throughout the investigation, detectives reported that Johnson was untruthful and attempted to place all the blame for the shooting on Maxwell.
