2014-11-23 Black
Murder of Eric Ontario Smith Jr. – Paradise Club Shooting
Eric Ontario Smith Jr., 19, was fatally shot in the early morning hours of November 23, 2014, in the parking lot of Paradise Club, 714 N. Fillmore Street, in Amarillo, Texas. Tyrone Dawayne "K.R." Black, 22, was charged with first-degree murder in connection with Smith's death.[1]
Incident
On November 23, 2014, officers were dispatched to a shots-fired call at Paradise Club, 714 N. Fillmore Street.
According to witnesses, Black approached Smith in the club's parking lot, fired a gun at him, and fled the scene before officers arrived. Smith was shot in the back of the head.
Smith was taken by private car to a local hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Investigation and Manhunt
Black was wanted for murder in the shooting death of Smith. Investigators said Black had ties to Amarillo, Lubbock, California, and his hometown of Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
According to Potter County Sheriff's Captain John Coffee, Black was "well connected in Amarillo and outside the area." He could still have been in the city, but had family connections in his hometown of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, as well as in Lubbock and California, police said.[2]
Despite checking multiple locations night and day, authorities were unable to locate him initially.
Arrest
Black was apprehended on July 13, 2015, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Bloomington police officers reported that they were searching a hotel for a suspect wanted in a separate case and found Black was wanted in Texas.
Captain John Coffee of the Potter County Sheriff's Office said that Texas Prisoner Transport brought Black from Minnesota. Black was booked into Potter County Jail on Monday night, July 27, 2015, on a charge of first-degree murder.
Prosecution and Legal Doctrine
47th District Attorney Randall Sims said the case was somewhat odd because Black appeared to have inadvertently shot Smith Jr.
"We think he got him mixed up and just shot the wrong guy," Sims said.
As a result, Black was found guilty of intentionally shooting and killing Smith Jr. under a doctrine known as transferred intent, Sims said.
The transferred intent doctrine applies when a defendant intends to harm one person but accidentally causes the same type of harm to another, satisfying the intent element for the actual victim.
Trial and Sentencing
As part of a plea agreement, Tyrone Dawayne "K.R." Black, 24, admitted to murdering Eric Ontario Smith Jr., 19.
Black was sentenced in 320th District Court by Judge Don Emerson on Monday, February 29, 2016.
Sentence: 30 years in prison
Because the killing was a 3g offense, Black must serve at least half of his 30-year sentence before he is eligible for parole. "3g" refers to a special category of crimes listed in the Texas Penal Code that have strict judgment requirements ascribed to them, including aggravated kidnapping, sexual assault, and murder.
Case Timeline
- November 23, 2014: Shooting occurs at Paradise Club; Smith dies from injuries
- November 24, 2014: Black identified as suspect; murder warrant issued
- July 13, 2015: Black apprehended in Bloomington, Minnesota
- July 27, 2015: Black booked into Potter County Jail on first-degree murder charge
- February 29, 2016: Black sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty