On January 16, 2024, at about 6:15 p.m., deputies responded to Ninth Street in East Laurinburg, North Carolina, and found 25-year-old Isaiah Emmanuel Smith with a fatal gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Smith, born November 28, 1998, was a resident of the Bayfield Community and is survived by his mother Amy Smith, his children, and siblings. He enjoyed camping, fishing, and spending time with family and friends.

His funeral was held January 27, 2024, at the Richard Boles Funeral Service Chapel with burial at Hillside Memorial Park. In the days after the killing, authorities arrested a 15-year-old who was charged with first-degree murder; the juvenile’s name was not released. On February 6, 2024, 18-year-old Zeonte Quentez McNeill of Laurinburg was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder and was held without bond. On February 7, 2024, a 17-year-old male and a 16-year-old female were taken into custody and charged as accessories before and after the fact to first-degree murder and with conspiracy to commit first-degree murder; their identities were withheld due to juvenile status.

Does anyone from the area have information about Isaiah or the events surrounding that evening?