Tristen Paige Smith, a 15-year-old student who attended Campbell County High School and Harrison High School, was shot and killed in Elsmere, Kentucky on July 21, 2025. Police found her inside a residence on Autumn Road with multiple gunshot wounds; she was pronounced dead at the scene. Family and friends remember her as bubbly, compassionate, and looking forward to her sophomore year of high school.

A 15-year-old boy, identified by police as Tristen’s boyfriend, was arrested and charged with murder in the context of domestic violence and tampering with physical evidence. Because he is a minor his name has not been released. Police say the teenager fled the scene and later told officers he dropped the handgun while running, prompting searches in nearby wooded areas and warnings to residents not to touch any weapon they might find. Prosecutors have not yet decided whether to seek to try him as an adult.

The community has held vigils and balloon releases and Tristen’s mother has spoken publicly about keeping her daughter’s memory alive and raising awareness about domestic violence. Does anyone in the Elsmere area have information about that evening or the search for the weapon?