David E. Smith, a 27-year-old triple homicide suspect, is dead.
Smith, who was wanted in connected with three murders in Lakeland over the weekend, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest.
A standoff ensued with SWAT team members at a motel in Tennessee where Smith was located, officials said. Chemical agent was introduced into the room and Smith eventually exited with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. He was transported to a local area hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Smith is suspected of murdering three people, including his sister, at a home in the 5600 block of Old Highway 37 is Lakeland.
The victims have been identified as Smith’s sister, Danyala Smith, Ni’Kosi Williams, of Lakeland; and 28-year-old Miranda Mims, a friend of Danyala.
Danyala Smith is the mother of the 14-year-old girl who arrived home on Monday from an ROTC weekend event, to find her shot to death.
When deputies responded to the home they found, Williams and Mims, also shot dead inside the residence.
Investigators said, Smith refers to himself as “Prince David,” and is delusional. According to reports, Smith’s mother said her son served on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan and suffers from PTSD.
Judd said the teen was doing as well as expected after finding her mother murdered.
“I consider her exceptionally lucky she wasn’t in the house this weekend,” Judd said, Local 6 reported. “At that point in time, he killed everyone in the house, and he wouldn’t have spared her life if she was in the house.”
