Kevin Smith, 60, was shot and killed inside a detached garage on the 600 block of East Whittier Street in the Southern Orchards neighborhood of Columbus on April 15, 2023, at about 6 a.m. Police were first called about a possible trespasser; a subsequent call said the trespasser had been shot. Officers found Smith dead from multiple gunshot wounds. The Franklin County Coroner’s autopsy recorded five gunshot wounds to his head, right chest, left portion of his back, and right shoulder; the sequence of shots was unclear.

A neighbor had reported seeing a man enter the backyard and then the garage. During a 911 call, the 39-year-old resident said someone had broken into his house and garage and that he had shot the intruder multiple times, claiming self-defense. The shooting was ruled a homicide and the investigation remains open; no arrests or charges had been announced and the shooter’s identity has not been released.

Smith was described by friends and community members as friendly, gregarious, and a familiar presence at the United Methodist Church & Community Development for All People, where he volunteered and attended Bible studies. The case has raised questions about what happened that morning and renewed attention to the city’s unhoused population; any readers with information about the incident are asked to come forward.