On the night of Sunday, November 12, 2023, Anthony R. Smith Jr., 26, of Vergennes was shot and killed inside an apartment on Decatur Street in Burlington. Police found Smith and 27-year-old Khalif M. Jones of Stowe with gunshot wounds to the head; Smith was pronounced dead at the scene and Jones later died at the University of Vermont Medical Center shortly before 11 p.m.

Investigators recovered a firearm with Jones, and evidence indicated a second, unrecovered weapon was used to kill Jones. Ballistics testing led police to conclude a third, unidentified person was likely present and responsible for Jones’s death. Evidence of drug trafficking was found in the apartment, and authorities suspect the shootings were drug-related. No arrests have been announced in the double homicide; the investigation remains ongoing.

Smith’s family remembers him as adventurous, fond of the outdoors, and passionate about farming and excavation, known for his infectious laugh and devotion to family. If anyone has information about that night or the unidentified person believed to be involved, please come forward.