On the night of June 15, 2020, 19-year-old University of California, Berkeley student Seth Smith was shot in the back of the head at point-blank range while walking near Dwight Way and Valley Street in Berkeley, California. Smith, who was studying economics and history, was found dead on the sidewalk; investigators described the killing as a seemingly random act of violence.

The probe identified 60-year-old Berkeley resident Tony Lorenzo Walker as a suspect. Walker had at least 11 prior Alameda County convictions, including second-degree robberies, burglaries, an armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. He was arrested at his residence on August 20, 2020, and charged by the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office with murder and multiple enhancements; he later pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 25 years in prison on May 23, 2022.

The case drew significant attention in Berkeley and prompted public debate about motive and community safety; some commentators suggested a racial element, though the Department of Justice did not pursue hate crime charges. If anyone knew Seth, saw him that night, or has information about the area near Dwight Way and Valley Street, please come forward.