Semajay Smith

Semajay Smith, a 19-year-old Black woman from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was remembered by those who knew her as a loving and adventurous person with a beautiful heart. Known to some by the nickname "Maj," she was described as an outgoing and funny soul who brought smiles to the people around her.

On the night of October 14, 2020, Semajay’s life was cut short. Around 9:45 p.m., police responded to a call and found her in a second-floor bedroom of a building on the 2600 block of Derry Street in Harrisburg. She had been shot and was later pronounced dead.

The investigation quickly led to a suspect, 49-year-old Frank Morris, who owned the building where Semajay was found. Morris turned himself over to the Harrisburg Police Department shortly after the incident. Authorities arrested him and charged him with criminal homicide, simple assault, and recklessly endangering another person. At the time, police did not release information about what may have led to the shooting and asked for the public’s help with any information.

In March 2023, the case against Frank Morris came to a close. He pleaded guilty to a charge of third-degree murder in the death of Semajay Smith. A judge sentenced him to serve between 9 and 25 years in state prison.