Russell Raheed Smart, 27, was shot and killed in Allendale, South Carolina, on December 6, 2014. Authorities treated the death as a homicide and conducted an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.

Investigators later identified suspects, and arrests were made; those arrested were charged with murder and prosecuted. The trial produced testimony and evidence that led to convictions in the case, closing a chapter that had deeply affected the small community.