A Tennessee man, 27-year-old Deangelo Mitchell, is currently facing charges of second-degree murder following the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, 23-year-old Jyrah Smith, a mother of three. The incident took place in the early hours of May 23, with Smith suffering a fatal gunshot wound to the head, inflicted at close range with a shotgun. The horrifying event took place just outside Mitchell’s second-floor apartment on East Georgia Avenue in Memphis.
Upon their arrival at the scene, law enforcement officers discovered a spent shotgun shell inside the apartment, according to the arrest affidavit. Mitchell, however, was not present at the location at the time. He later surrendered himself to the authorities on the same day.
During his interview in custody, Mitchell waived his Miranda rights and gave his version of the events. He stated that he was awakened by voices and knocking at his front door, which he identified as belonging to a man and a woman. This prompted him to arm himself with a shotgun.
The affidavit details that an argument broke out, and when the door was opened, Mitchell fired the fatal shot. He claimed to have seen “a man with dreads” and, not recognizing the person he had shot, he discarded the shotgun and left the scene. The affidavit also notes that there was no evidence of Mitchell attempting to provide aid or call for medical assistance.
The victim was later identified as Mitchell’s girlfriend, found 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.