In the early evening of September 17, 2012, in Meridian, Mississippi, the life of 21-year-old Randarious Smith was tragically cut short. Officers responded to a report of a shooting at the intersection of 19th Street and 25th Avenue around 5:55 p.m. Upon arrival, they discovered Smith lying in the street, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to Anderson's Regional Medical Center in serious condition but ultimately succumbed to his injuries. An autopsy later confirmed that Smith had been shot twice with a medium-caliber handgun.
In the days following the shooting, the Meridian Police Department identified a suspect, Rondarius Phillips, who was described as Smith's cousin. Phillips turned himself in to the authorities and was subsequently charged with manslaughter in connection with his cousin's death. In addition to the manslaughter charge, Phillips also faced a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. His bond was set at $250,000 for the manslaughter charge and an additional $25,000 for the weapons charge. At the time of the arrest, law enforcement stated that they did not anticipate any further arrests in the case. The case was then expected to be presented to the next available grand jury for their consideration.
