On January 12, 2015, a violent tragedy unfolded at a residence in the 800 block of Bellhaven Place on the east side of Indianapolis, Indiana, resulting in the death of Artemus Smith, a Black / African American male. The incident occurred within the family home where a domestic dispute escalated rapidly. Officers from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to the scene following reports of a shooting, arriving to find Smith suffering from fatal gunshot wounds.
Despite emergency response efforts, he was pronounced dead, leaving his family, including his daughter Artisha Smith, to mourn the sudden loss.
The investigation revealed that the altercation involved Artemus Smith and his brother, Pierce McDade Jr. According to their father, Pierce McDade Sr., the two men had engaged in a heated argument that spiraled out of control. The verbal confrontation turned physical and ultimately deadly when McDade Jr. allegedly produced a firearm and shot his brother. The dispute, described by family members as a personal conflict that went too far, ended with McDade Jr. being identified as the primary suspect at the scene.
Law enforcement officials promptly arrested Pierce McDade Jr. in connection with the slaying. He was initially taken into custody and faced charges related to the homicide of his brother. The legal proceedings continued into the following year as prosecutors built their case against him. In 2016, the judicial process concluded with Pierce McDade Jr. receiving a conviction for voluntary manslaughter rather than murder. The Indiana Parole Board records indicate he was sentenced to a term of 7,300 days, equating to approximately twenty years of incarceration for the crime.
