On the evening of February 26, 2021, 21-year-old Cortney Smith was found inside a vehicle in the 11600 block of Criterion Avenue in the Spanish Lake area of north St. Louis County after a ShotSpotter alert. Officers arrived at about 5:50 p.m. and discovered Smith with at least one gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arrival.

The St. Louis County Police Department’s Bureau of Crimes Against Persons is leading the investigation and has classified the death as a homicide. Authorities confirmed Smith was a St. Louis resident and described the probe as very active, asking the public for information. No motive or suspects have been released, and no arrests have been publicly announced.

If anyone saw activity in the Criterion Avenue area that evening or has information that could help the investigation, please come forward.