Dewayne Lee Smith, a 55-year-old White male, was tragically killed on December 23, 2021, in his hometown of Longton, Kansas. The incident that led to his death unfolded in the early morning hours during an outdoor gathering at a residence located at 205 W. 5th Street. Smith was with another man, 57-year-old Robert "Bob" S. Stricker, and three other individuals when the events took a fatal turn.
A local man, 41-year-old Lyle W. Miller, arrived at the gathering and, after a short time, pulled out a pistol. Without warning, Miller opened fire, shooting both Smith and Stricker at close range. Both men were pronounced dead at the scene by the time deputies from the Elk County Sheriff's Office arrived, shortly after a 911 call was made around 12:10 a.m.
Following the shooting, the suspect, Lyle W. Miller, fled to a nearby home at 107 W. 5th Street. Law enforcement, including the Kansas Bureau of Investigation surrounded the house and made numerous attempts to convince Miller to surrender. After receiving no response, authorities sent a robot into the residence at approximately 5:50 a.m. The robot located what appeared to be a deceased male in the attic. A tactical team then entered the home and confirmed that Miller had died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. As the sole suspect in the double homicide took his own life, no arrests were made in connection with the deaths of Dewayne Lee Smith and Robert S. Stricker. The investigation into the motive for the shooting was ongoing.
