Rondal Ross Smith Jr., 36, was found shot to death the night of May 21, 2025, on Waco’s south side. Officers responded about 10:05 p.m. to the 5100 block of Hawthorne Drive, where Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. A 16-year-old boy also was struck by gunfire and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries; police later described his condition as stable.

In the immediate aftermath detectives said no arrests had been made and asked the public for information as they worked to reconstruct what led to the exchange of gunfire. On July 23, 2025, police arrested a 16-year-old on a murder charge in connection with Smith’s killing; authorities did not release the juvenile’s name and said the broader investigation remained active.

Does anyone who was in the Hawthorne Drive area on May 21 have information that could help with the investigation?