Jemonte Smith, a 28-year-old Black male, was killed on Sunday, December 13, 2020, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The incident occurred around 10:41 a.m. at a business located in the 3000 block of Contract Avenue. The business was described as a multi-purpose space that included a clothing store, a music studio, and a marijuana dispensary. Smith was discovered at the rear of the business with a fatal gunshot wound.
According to the investigation, the motive for the killing appeared to be a robbery
connected to a marijuana sale. Witnesses indicated that Smith sold marijuana from the back of the business, and containers of marijuana that he typically had on display were missing after the incident. Family members told police that Smith usually only sold to people he knew and did not typically conduct business on Sundays, making his presence there that day unusual.
Video surveillance from the location proved crucial in the investigation. The footage showed Smith meeting with a man in the back of the business. This same man, wearing distinctive clothing, was later seen on video shooting Smith in the head and then leaving the premises carrying a white bag. Police believe the bag contained the stolen marijuana.
The investigation led to the arrest of Aaron Ingram, a 30-year-old Las Vegas man, on December 24, 2020. Surveillance video also captured the suspect leaving the scene in an older model green Mustang. A patrol officer spotted this vehicle on December 22 and conducted a traffic stop, with Ingram behind the wheel. A search of Ingram's vehicle uncovered marijuana, packaging materials, and a handgun. A subsequent search of his residence yielded clothing that matched what the gunman was wearing in the surveillance footage. During questioning by detectives, Ingram denied having ever been to the business where the shooting took place. Ingram was booked at the Clark County Detention Center on charges of murder, robbery, and burglary with a deadly weapon.
