In the summer of 2016, a South Bend, Indiana community was shaken by the violent and untimely death of Bethel Dominque Smallwood. On the afternoon of June 24th, the 33-year-old man was fatally wounded in a shooting. The incident occurred in the 1400 block of Fassnacht Avenue, where dispatchers received a call about shots being fired and a man wounded inside a vehicle shortly after 3:00 p.m.
Family members at the scene confirmed the victim's identity as Bethel Smallwood.
Emergency services and the County Metro Homicide Unit promptly responded to the scene of the crime. Despite their arrival, Bethel Smallwood succumbed to his injuries, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers. His passing was officially recorded as a homicide, prompting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.
In the days that followed, an obituary for Bethel Smallwood was published, providing a glimpse into the life of the man who had been so abruptly taken. Born on January 25, 1983, in South Bend, he was a cherished son, brother, and uncle. The notice lovingly remembered him and listed the family members who would forever mourn his loss. Despite the public acknowledgment of his death and the initial news coverage of the homicide investigation, information regarding any developments in the case, including the identification of any suspects or subsequent arrests, has not been made publicly available. The case of who is responsible for the death of Bethel Smallwood remains without a public resolution.
