Neil Matthew Waters, a 40-year-old male, tragically lost his life on Wednesday, October 9, 2019, in his Henrico, Virginia home. Known to his loved ones as 'Matt,' he was a devoted father, remembered for his quick wit and unwavering loyalty to his family and friends. A former athlete, he had a particular love for baseball and cherished the time he spent with his young son.
The events that led to his untimely death unfolded on the morning of October 9th at the family's residence on Edenburry Drive. An argument escalated into a violent confrontation, culminating in Waters being shot multiple times by his stepfather, Randolph Eugene Smith, who was 62 at the time. Smith lived at the home with Waters, his mother Michelle, and Waters' 7-year-old son. Waters was pronounced dead at the scene.
Randolph Eugene Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. During the investigation and subsequent trial, Smith claimed he acted in self-defense, alleging that Waters had lunged at him with a knife. However, the evidence presented in court told a different story. Prosecutors argued that the knife was planted on Waters after he was already shot. The autopsy revealed that Waters had been shot four times, including once in the back of the head, a detail that significantly weakened the self-defense claim.
Following a two-day trial in October 2020, a jury found Randolph Eugene Smith guilty of first-degree murder. In January 2021, he was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional three years. The court case brought a painful chapter to a close for the Waters family, who remembered Matt as a hero, recounting a time he had saved his brother's life by performing the Heimlich maneuver. His family continues to mourn the profound loss of a loved one to a senseless act of violence.
