Nineteen-year-old Demario Smith, a male, was a promising university student with a bright future ahead of him. He had just completed his freshman year at Morehouse College in Atlanta and was back home in St. Louis for the summer, working at a local QuikTrip to save money. On the afternoon of July 6, 2022, he was taking a nap in his car near his workplace before his shift was scheduled to begin.
With his windows down, an unknown individual reached into his vehicle and stole his keys and phone.
After the theft, a distraught Smith used a borrowed phone to contact his father. He then made the fateful decision to try and retrieve his stolen belongings himself, confronting the person he believed was responsible. Tragically, this confrontation escalated, and Smith was shot in the Benton Park West neighborhood, near the intersection of Pestalozzi Street and California Avenue. Less than thirty minutes after the initial call to his father, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Demario was a graduate of University City High School, where he had excelled academically, graduating with a 4.7 GPA. He was a well-rounded individual, known for playing football and running track. His family described him as a bright young man who was fluent in Spanish and had some knowledge of German. In the wake of his murder, his mother expressed her profound grief and disbelief, struggling to comprehend how quickly a minor theft had led to the loss of her son's life. As of the latest reports, no arrests have been made in connection with the murder of Demario Smith, and police have encouraged anyone with information to come forward. A reward has been offered for tips that lead to the capture of the person responsible for this senseless act of violence.
