A 27-year-old Tennessee man, Deangelo Mitchell, is facing second-degree murder charges following the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, Jyrah Smith, 23, and mother of three. The incident occurred in the early hours of May 23, with Smith succumbing to a single gunshot wound to the head, inflicted at close range with a shotgun. The tragic scene unfolded just outside Mitchell’s second-floor apartment on East Georgia Avenue in Memphis.
Upon arrival at the scene, police discovered a spent shotgun shell inside the apartment, as per the arrest affidavit. However, Mitchell was not present at the time. He later turned himself in to the authorities on the same day.
During his custodial interview, Mitchell waived his Miranda rights and provided his account of the events. He claimed to have been awakened by voices and knocking at his front door. He identified the voices as belonging to a man and a woman, which led him to arm himself with a shotgun.
According to the affidavit, an argument ensued, and when the door opened, Mitchell fired the fatal shot. He claimed to have seen “a man with dreads” and, not recognizing who he had shot, he disposed of the shotgun and fled the scene. The affidavit further states that there was no evidence of Mitchell attempting to provide aid or call an ambulance.
The victim was later identified as Mitchell’s girlfriend, discovered by her brother as he was leaving for work. The brother also informed the police that Mitchell had previously threatened to kill Smith and her three children, aged 1, 3, and 6. The children are now under the care of Smith’s father.
The father expressed his shock and grief, stating that he was unaware of his daughter’s relationship with Mitchell. He also revealed that the relationship was relatively new, having started only two months ago when Mitchell moved into the same apartment complex.
The father identified the incident as a preventable act of domestic violence. He expressed his frustration with the legal system, stating that Mitchell had violated a bond condition and should have been in jail at the time of the incident.
Court records reveal that Mitchell has a history of domestic charges dating back to 2019, involving other women. He was later charged with violating bond conditions related to these previous charges. Mitchell is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $760,000 bond and is scheduled to appear in court on June 9.