MEMPHIS, TN – A man from Tennessee is claiming mistaken identity in the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, authorities reported. Deangelo Mitchell, 27, has been charged with second-degree murder following the death of 23-year-old Jyrah Smith, a young mother of three, who was killed by a shotgun discharge in the early hours of May 23.
Smith’s body was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head just outside Mitchell’s apartment on East Georgia Avenue in Memphis, according to police documents. Inside the residence, police found a single spent shotgun shell. At the time of her death, Mitchell was not present at the scene but surrendered to police later that day, authorities said.
During an interrogation, Mitchell waived his rights and stated that he was roused from sleep by voices and knocking at his door. He claimed he armed himself with a shotgun after hearing what seemed like a male and a female talking.
According to the arrest report, Mitchell contends that a shot was fired after a dispute arose, supposedly because he thought he saw “a man with dreads.” The shooting occurred as soon as the apartment door opened, and Mitchell allegedly left the location without realizing he had shot his girlfriend. He reportedly got rid of the weapon and did not attempt to help Smith or call emergency services, the affidavit notes.
Smith’s brother discovered her body while leaving for work that morning. He later informed police that Mitchell had previously threatened his sister and her children, aged 1, 3, and 6, who are now in their grandfather’s care.
Smith’s father expressed his disbelief upon learning about his daughter’s relationship with Mitchell, explaining that his children often kept personal details from him. The relationship was only a few months old and reportedly began after Mitchell moved into Smith’s apartment complex.
The father, mourning his loss, pointed to systemic failures, identifying the shooting as preventable domestic violence. He mentioned Mitchell’s track record of prior domestic allegations dating to 2019, noting that Mitchell had previously breached the conditions of his bond.
Currently, Mitchell remains in custody at the Shelby County Jail with a bond set at $760,000. His court appearance is scheduled for June 9.