In the early evening of January 22, 2014, a white male named Daniel Smith, aged 34, was fatally shot while sitting in his car at the College Glen Apartments in Lacey, Washington. The incident, which occurred around 5 p.m., was not a random act of violence. Smith, a husband and father of two young children, had reportedly arranged to meet a group of individuals to sell marijuana.
The meeting turned into a robbery attempt.
According to court documents, five young men had planned to steal the marijuana from Smith. When they met at the apartment complex, four of the suspects approached Smith's vehicle. After a brief exchange where they asked to see the marijuana and Smith asked to see the money, one of the suspects, Ronny G. McDaniel, pulled out a gun and pointed it at Smith. As Smith attempted to drive away, McDaniel fired, striking him in the shoulder. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene.
An investigation was immediately launched, and authorities quickly made arrests. Three of the suspects, Erick Adamczewski, then 19, Steven Petit, 18, and a juvenile, Ryan S. Anderson, were apprehended at the scene. The remaining two suspects, Ronny G. McDaniel, 17 at the time, and Nicholas Armajo, 16 at the time, fled the scene but were arrested in Idaho the following day.
All five suspects were charged in connection with the murder. Over the following months and years, four of them were sentenced for their roles in the crime. Ryan S. Anderson pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery in juvenile court and was sentenced to a minimum of three years in custody. Stephen Pettit and Eric Adamczewski both pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree robbery and were each sentenced to 12 years in prison. Nickolas Armajo also pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and first-degree robbery and received a 12-year prison sentence. Ronny G. McDaniel, the accused shooter, was awaiting trial as of August 2016.
