On May 29, 2014, at about 7:45 pm, the victim was inside his apartment at 1209 N. Haskell Avenue, when a suspect, later identified as Rodney Eugene Smith, broke through his door. The victim tried to stop Smith from entering his apartment and during this confrontation, Smith fired two shots, killing the victim. Smith then fled the apartment complex.

A witness heard the gunshots and saw a bald Black male with a goatee running away from the complex. Canvassing by the Homicide detectives led to another witness, the girlfriend of the victim, who told detectives that Rodney Smith was her ex boyfriend and she told him during a phone conversation earlier that evening she was seeing the victim. She also said that Rodney Smith threatened to shoot the victim during this phone call.

On May 30, 2014, a witness picked Rodney Smith out of a lineup as the man he saw fleeing the offense location after the murder.

Smith is in custody.