Renard Smith

Renard Smith, a 29-year-old Black man known to friends and family as “Nardy,” was a father to five boys and worked in demolition. Remembered as a funny and great person, he was the oldest child of a mother who loved him dearly. His life was a source of joy for his family, but their world was shattered in the fall of 2016 when he was killed in a convenience store parking lot, leaving his loved ones with questions that remain unanswered.

On the evening of Tuesday, October 25, 2016, Renard was outside The Right Choice Food Mart at 8011 Midcrown Drive in Northeast San Antonio. Around 8 p.m., a silver or light-colored Mercedes-Benz sedan pulled into the lot. According to police reports based on surveillance footage and witness accounts, two men were in the car. One of the men allegedly led Renard over to the other, who was waiting nearby. A single gunshot rang out. A witness told police they saw one of the men shoot Renard in the back of the head, then go through his pockets before both men ran back to the Mercedes and sped off toward Walzem Road.

San Antonio Police Department officers arrived to find Renard with a critical gunshot wound. He was rushed to the San Antonio Military Medical Center, but his injury was too severe. He was pronounced dead at 10:01 p.m. When his mother arrived at the chaotic scene, she was met with a wall of silence from the many people who were there. "And everybody was like, 'We don't know nothing. They don't know nothing,'" she later recalled. In the months that followed, she made tearful public pleas for anyone with information to come forward. "I struggle with it every day," she said. "That's my oldest child, and I just want him back."

The San Antonio Police Department investigated, piecing together evidence from surveillance video and witness statements. One witness told investigators that Renard had been showing a large amount of cash earlier in the day. San Antonio Crime Stoppers issued an appeal, offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information. The case gained momentum in early 2017. On March 3, acting on a Crime Stoppers tip, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force arrested 23-year-old Savawn Kyle. As he was escorted by police in front of news cameras, Kyle seemed unconcerned, instead using the moment to promote his mixtape.

Less than two weeks later, on March 15, police arrested a second suspect, 22-year-old Kenton Haynes. His arrest was unusual; he had gone to the Bexar County jail to retrieve property from a prior arrest when officers discovered the new capital murder warrant. After allegedly being tipped off, he fled on foot but was captured by deputies a few blocks away. Both Kyle and Haynes were charged with capital murder in Renard Smith's death. The arrests brought a wave of relief to Renard's mother. "God is good, and they're going to be prosecuted in Jesus's name," she said, expressing deep gratitude for the police. "I wish I could thank every police that was involved in it. I appreciate y'all for getting ‘em."

However, the path to justice took an unexpected turn. According to news reports, the capital murder charge against Kenton Haynes was dropped sometime after his arrest. Then, on September 24, 2018, the capital murder charge against Savawn Kyle was also dismissed, with court records indicating it was for the purpose of further investigation. Kyle himself was later shot and killed in an unrelated incident in December 2019.

As of the latest reports, the charges against the only two suspects publicly identified in the case have been dismissed. The investigation into the murder of Renard Smith remains open, and no one has been held accountable for his death. His mother’s plea for answers continues to echo. "Just please, somebody come forward and tell what they know, that they seen at that store that happened to my child," she begged.

A reward of up to $5,000 is still offered by Crime Stoppers for information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Renard Smith. Anyone with information is urged to call San Antonio Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP (7867). Callers can remain anonymous.