Mall murder suspect in Natchez jail

Published 12:01am Monday, December 31, 2012

NATCHEZ — The man wanted in an August 2011 murder outside the Natchez Mall who was arrested in late November in Michigan is now in a Natchez jail.

Lee R. Smith, 19, 14862 Tracey, Detroit, was booked into the Natchez City Jail Saturday afternoon on charges of murder. No bond has been set.

Smith was the alleged shooter in the death of Walter Washington.

Natchez Police were aware of his Michigan arrest and were awaiting his extradition. He will now face trial in Adams County.

Three other men originally charged with murder — Datarrius T. Matthews, 18, 14 Woodside Court; Latravis K. Clay, 21, 104 Dumas Drive Apt. A and Brandon Christopher Collins, 22, 104 Dumas Drive — now only face charges of accessory after the fact.

Washington was killed while sitting in a vehicle in the mall parking lot. The shooter reportedly shot from another vehicle.

Police have said evidence shows Matthews and Clay were in the vehicle with the shooter when the crime occurred.

Police also believe the murder was intended to be retaliation for a February shooting at Club Paradise in which Calvin Matthews was shot four times and Washington was charged with the crime. Matthews was hospitalized for more than a week after the first shooting.

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  • Anonymous

    Bring him up before “let ‘em loose Lillie” and he will be out on the streets where he can shoot someone else.

  • Anonymous

    DON’T BE AFRAID stalgsto. I KNOW YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM LIKE MANY MORE THINGS YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN. YOU SEEM TO HAVE BEEN RAISED UP WITH THE NOTION THAT BLACK PEOPLE CAN’T DO THERE JOB. I REALLY FEEL SORRY FOR YOU. I REALLY DON’T SEE HOW YOU ARE ACCEPTED INTO YOUR FAMILY. I KNOW IF MY KIDS THINK THAT I BELIEVE THAT WHITE PEOPLE COULDN’T DO THERE JOB, THEY WOULD WALK AWAY FROM ME. I TEACH THEM THERE ARE BAD BLACK PEOPLE AS WELL AS WHITES PEOPLE. BUT I ALL SO MAKE IT VERY CLEAR TO THEM, YOU CAN-NOT BLAME A WHOLE RACE OF PEOPLE JUST FOR WHAT A FEW NUCKLE-HEADS OF THAT RACE DO. YOU GIVE ME THE FEELING THAT SOMEONE BLACK DID SOMETHING MIGHTY BAD TO YOU IN YOUR UP-BRINGING. ALL OF YOUR COMMENT DO SHOW THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU. THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT, THERE IS HELP OUT THERE. I DON’T KNOW OF ANY HELP THAT PULLS THE RACISM OUT OF PEOPLE, BUT I REALL FEELS THERE ‘S SOMETHING OUT THERE. I WANNA WISH YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR, AND MANY MANY MORE.

  • Anonymous

    “ALL OF YOUR COMMENT DO SHOW SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH YOU”

    Pot, meet kettle.

  • Anonymous

    what a joke,he prob won,t do any time.

  • Anonymous

    Public hangings and canings come to mind.

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