Three men have been arrested and charged with murder following an altercation at a south Columbus Kroger earlier this month, according to the Columbus Police Department (CPD).
On December 6th, at 7:00 p.m., three black males – later identified as Dionta Hughes (pictured above, left), 18, Jamarion Evans-Bennett (pictured above, right), 19, and Jayden Agee, 17 – allegedly engaged in an altercation with patrons inside of the Kroger located at 3637 South High St., according to CPD.
Three suspects have been arrested in relation to the homicide that took place on December 6th, 2023, at the 3600 block of S. High St.
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-Detective Huffman at (614) 645-4146 /[email protected]
-Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at (614) 461-TIPS (8477) pic.twitter.com/9PMmi3pwzc— Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) December 22, 2023
Donald Smith Jr. was transported to a local hospital in critical condition with severe head injuries while the suspects fled the scene in a red vehicle. Smith was pronounced dead at Grant Medical Center on December 18.
Citing court documents, FOX28 reports a witness told police the three suspects were “laughing and enjoying themselves” while assaulting Smith before a bystander with a gun stepped in, leading the men to flee.
Smith was a father of three, including a 15-year-old son and six-year-old daughter, according to a friend who was present at the scene.
Smith’s death marked a turning point in CPD’s investigation, as it was transferred from robbery to homicide.
Hughes, Evans-Bennett, and Agee – all residents of Columbus – were arrested by CPD on December 20 and charged with murder for causing Smith’s death.
Hughes and Evans-Bennett are being held at the Franklin County jail on $1 million bond.
Agee is being held at the county detention center awaiting a hearing that will decide if he should be released to his parents or if he should be bound over to be tried as an adult.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Ohio Star and The Star News Network. Follow Kaitlin on X / Twitter.
