Jeric De’Juan Smith, 26, of Livingston, Texas, was fatally shot during an altercation at the Down Under Club on January 30, 2022. Polk County deputies and Livingston police responded to a 911 call early that Sunday morning and found two people had been shot. Smith was pronounced dead at Livingston Hospital; a second victim, 45-year-old Thomas Love, was flown to a Houston hospital for treatment.

Authorities identified 39-year-old Marcell Thomas Jr. as the suspect; he turned himself in to the sheriff’s office shortly after the incident, was interviewed by investigators, and was booked into the Polk County Jail on a murder charge. The investigation is ongoing and officials have asked anyone with information to come forward.

The shooting has prompted questions about nightclub security and whether management failed to provide adequate protection; the Murray Law Firm recommended an immediate, impartial inspection to assess potential negligence and whether the family might pursue civil claims.

Did anyone see or hear anything at the Down Under Club that night that could help investigators?