On October 20, 2023, at approximately 10:31 p.m., Canton police responded to a reported shooting at a residence in the 1900 block of Maple Avenue NE. Upon arrival, officers found 37-year-old Dontae T. Crayton with a gunshot wound to the upper body. He was transported to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Investigations revealed that the shooting occurred during a domestic dispute between Crayton and his fiancée, Yolanda Jones. During the altercation, Crayton allegedly spat on Jones, prompting her son, 18-year-old Savier D. Smiley, to intervene. Smiley retrieved a firearm and shot Crayton once in the abdomen.
Shortly after the incident, Smiley was arrested at a nearby residence and charged with murder. During the trial, the defense argued that Smiley acted in defense of his mother, while the prosecution contended that Crayton did not pose a physical threat at the time of the shooting. In July 2024, a jury found Smiley guilty of involuntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. He was sentenced to 16 to 21.5 years in prison.
The tragic incident has had a profound impact on the families involved and the local community, highlighting the devastating consequences of domestic disputes escalating into violence.
