Michael Anthony Smith, a 22-year-old male, was a budding musician with dreams of a career in rap music. Known by his stage name 'MichiGunna Mic,' he had already begun to make a name for himself, posting several of his songs online. His life, however, was cut tragically short on the night of February 5, 2015, in a parking garage in East Lansing, Michigan.
The events of that fatal evening unfolded in the Grove Street parking ramp, a structure situated near the city's police station and a
number of popular nightlife spots. At approximately 11:55 p.m., the sound of gunfire shattered the relative quiet of the area, prompting a woman to call 911 and report hearing about 15 shots. Shortly thereafter, a parking attendant at the ramp also contacted authorities, relaying that two men in a red vehicle had sped off after claiming they had been shot at.
When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Michael Anthony Smith on the first level of the parking structure, having sustained a gunshot wound to his back. Another man, a 21-year-old from DeWitt Township who was with Smith, had been shot in the wrist but survived his injuries. Smith, however, succumbed to his wounds. He was a father to a young daughter who was only two years old at the time of his death.
The investigation into the shooting led police to describe two suspects. They were identified as two Black men, with one estimated to be around 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing between 160 and 185 pounds, and the other approximately 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighing about 200 pounds. The suspects were seen leaving the area in a red, four-door sedan, possibly a Lincoln or a Dodge. In May of 2016, a man named Darwin Duval White was charged with tampering with evidence and a weapons charge in connection to Smith's death, though the court records for this case were sealed. Despite this development, Michael Anthony Smith's murder officially remains unsolved and is considered a cold case. His family continues to seek justice and keep his memory alive through his music.
