Jamar Smith

Jamar Smith, a 34-year-old Black man from Hot Springs, Arkansas, was known to friends and family by the nickname "Tripp." He was the father of two children. His life was cut short in the spring of 2023, leaving his loved ones to grieve a sudden and violent loss.

In the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, Hot Springs police officers were called to a residence at 209 Maryland Street. At approximately 2:30 a.m., they arrived to investigate a report of a possible gunshot victim. Inside the home, they discovered Jamar Smith, who was deceased from a gunshot wound. The police department immediately began a homicide investigation into his death.

The investigation progressed rapidly. By that same evening, detectives had identified a suspect and made an arrest. At around 5:15 p.m., authorities located and arrested Kendrick Cordell Jujuane Burris, a 25-year-old from the nearby town of Mountain Pine. He was taken into custody in Garland County and transported to the Hot Springs Police Department for questioning.

Following his arrest, Burris was charged with first-degree murder for the death of Jamar Smith and was held on a $500,000 bond. The case proceeded to trial, where a Garland County Circuit Court jury found Kendrick Burris guilty of murder. For the crime, he was sentenced to serve life in prison.