In the heart of Oklahoma City, a morning walk to the store turned into a scene of tragedy for 38-year-old Steffon O'Brien Smith. On March 13, 2023, at approximately 9:22 a.m., police were dispatched to an apartment complex at 2830 S.W. 59th Street following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Smith had sustained gunshot wounds. He was quickly transported to a nearby hospital, but his injuries proved fatal, and he was pronounced dead.
The incident, which marked the city's
11th homicide of the year, left Smith's family in shock and searching for answers. His cousin described him as a 'gentle giant' who wouldn't hurt a fly, making the violent nature of his death all the more difficult to comprehend. According to family, Smith was simply on his way to a local store when he was ambushed. A witness to the shooting reportedly saw a young man run up to Smith and shoot him twice in the stomach. After Smith fell to the ground and tried to crawl for help, the assailant allegedly ran off, only to return and shoot him again.
The investigation into the death of Steffon Smith swiftly led to a suspect. The following evening, Oklahoma City police interviewed and subsequently arrested a 15-year-old male. The suspect was identified as Cordero Harvey. He was booked into the Berry House Juvenile Detention facility on a complaint of first-degree murder. While an arrest was made, the motive behind the deadly shooting remained unclear to the grieving family.
