On a tragic night in November 2019, the life of 32-year-old John Willie Smith IV, a Black male, was cut short in the Parkland area of Tacoma, Washington. His body was discovered in the roadway near 106th Street East and A Street in the early morning hours of November 25th. Investigators from the Pierce County Sheriff's Department who responded to the scene found that Smith had sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Prior to the discovery of Smith's body,
neighbors in the vicinity reported hearing the sound of gunshots at approximately midnight. It was later determined that Smith lived just a block away from where he was tragically found. The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear, and authorities immediately launched a homicide investigation into his death.
In the years that have followed, the case of John Willie Smith IV's murder has grown cold. Law enforcement officials have reached out to the public for assistance in identifying any suspects or vehicles that may have been in the area around the time of the shooting. Crime Stoppers of Tacoma-Pierce County has offered a cash reward for any information that leads to an arrest and charges in the case. Despite these efforts, no arrests have been made, and no suspects have been publicly identified, leaving a community searching for answers and a family still waiting for justice. The investigation into his death remains ongoing.
