In the late hours of March 15, 2018, the life of 20-year-old Malyk T. Smith, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in a burst of violence on Milwaukee's north side. Inside a residence in the 4200 block of N. 27th Street, a dice game among acquaintances took a fatal turn. Smith and another man, 34-year-old Romale R. Richardson, were both shot during a dispute that erupted during the game.
Both men succumbed to their injuries at the scene.
The ensuing investigation into the double homicide led police to 44-year-old Antonio Darnell Mays. According to the criminal complaint, Mays, who had a prior conviction for armed robbery in 2002, forced his way into the home and opened fire. The chaotic scene escalated into a shootout, during which Richardson was able to wound Mays before he himself was fatally shot.
Mays was subsequently arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree reckless homicide for the deaths of Smith and Richardson. During his trial, Mays contested the charges, questioning the DNA evidence found on the weapon used in the killings and claiming there were no witnesses to him committing the murders. Despite his defense, a jury found him guilty on all counts. In December 2018, a judge sentenced Mays to 40 years in prison, with an additional 15 years of extended supervision, describing the violent encounter as something out of the "wild, wild west."
