On November 21, 2024, at approximately 7:10 p.m., 34-year-old Marlan Antino Smith was fatally shot outside the Three Brothers Market, located at 1040 16th Street South in St. Petersburg, Florida. Responding officers from the St. Petersburg Police Department found Smith suffering from a gunshot wound; he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The following day, authorities identified 28-year-old Anthony Jamal Wright as the suspect in Smith's death.
An arrest warrant was issued for Wright, charging him with second-degree murder. Wright was subsequently taken into custody.
Marlan Smith is survived by his father, Harlan Smith; mother, Jeannette Moragne; son, Marlan Smith Jr.; daughters, Mar'necia, Mar'Syah, Mar'Naysia, and Mar'Kiyah Smith; brothers, Jamaal Moragne, Thaddeus Johnson, and Joshua Moragne; sister, Sade Smith; and numerous other relatives. Visitation services were held on December 6, followed by a funeral service on December 7 at Bethel Community Baptist Church in St. Petersburg.
The investigation into the circumstances surrounding Smith's death is ongoing, with authorities seeking to understand the motive behind the shooting. Community members have expressed their condolences and are urged to provide any information that might assist in the investigation.
