Darnell Smith was just steps from his aunt's front door in San Diego's Emerald Hills neighborhood when a gunman walked up behind him and opened fire. The 20-year-old had parked his car around 12:20 a.m. on June 15, 2008, in the 700 block of Pyramid Street and was walking with several relatives toward his aunt's house when the shooting happened. He was struck and died at the scene, and more than seventeen years later, no arrest has ever been announced in his death.
A Reward Climbs Past $53,000
Officials have increased the reward for information leading to a resolution in Smith's case to $53,500, according to Patch. The total is made up of $50,000 from the California Governor's Office, $2,500 from Cox Communications, where Smith worked at the time of his death, and $1,000 from Crime Stoppers. Smith was also attending San Diego Mesa College and pursuing a business administration degree when he was killed, the outlet reports.
The Governor's Office contribution was announced Friday, part of a broader push detailed by the San Diego Union-Tribune, which reported that Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the 2008 slaying. The money is part of a larger state effort; California is offering $300,000 in rewards to help solve six unsolved murders across the state, according to a statement from the Governor of California's office.
Witnesses Described a Black SUV With Tinted Windows
According to officials, a gunman emerged from a vehicle and walked up behind Smith and his relatives before firing multiple rounds. Witnesses described the suspect's vehicle as a newer black Ford Escape or a similar vehicle with tinted windows, per the same account. San Diego Crime Stoppers had previously offered a reward specifically for leads tied to identifying that vehicle, though the case remained unsolved in the years that followed.
Ron Newquist, a retired San Diego police detective who was among the first at the scene, has said that Smith's friends did not remain at the scene or report the shooting that night. Newquist said that failure to report the shooting contributed to the case going cold, as reported by CBS 8. Per prior coverage, Newquist reported finding 19 shell casings and Smith lying on the sidewalk when he arrived.
A Family Still Searching for Answers
Donna Jones, Smith's aunt, has said her family felt compassion toward the shooter even in the aftermath of the killing. Nearly two decades later, that compassion hasn't translated into a name, an arrest, or a conviction, and the case remains open.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the San Diego Police Department's Homicide Unit at 619-531-2293 or Crime Stoppers' anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477.
