A year after Marion County Sheriff’s Office detectives said a 13-year-old boy had shot and killed 19-year-old Griffin Chase Smith, the boy stood in front of a judge on Dec. 4, 2024.
Told the reason he was in court was because he had been charged with second-degree murder, the teen told the judge he didn’t really understand what it meant. The judge explained that he’s accused of taking someone’s life. The teen nodded yes, indicating he understood.
Indicted in January 2025 by a grand jury for first-degree murder when he was 15, the boy, who the Star-Banner is not naming due to his age, went to trial in March 2026 when he was 16. Found guilty by a jury for second-degree murder, sentencing was set for May 22.
Circuit Judge Timothy McCourt, who presided over the trial, told the teen it was up to him to change his life. He told the defendant that he was responsible for taken a life, and he’ll never get back the time he will be loosing while in prison.
His sentence: 50 years. He has 536 days of credit while locked up. With him being a minor, he would have a review after 15 years.
The judge said while the sentence is long, it’s not forever, and there’s life on the other side.
Shooting death
Sheriff’s deputies discovered a severely wounded Smith inside a pickup truck on Dec. 2, 2023.
The truck, riddled with bullet holes, crashed into some trees near the Marion Oaks Community Center, law enforcement officials said.
A deputy broke the passenger side window and removed Smith, whose clothes were bloody.
Deputies tried saving Smith’s life. Medical personnel rushed Smith to HCA Florida Ocala Hospital, where he died.
Detectives said the boy had fired multiple rounds into the vehicle after a gun transaction that went horrible wrong. The gunman, Assistant State Attorney Toby Hunt said, wanted $50 more for the firearm. When he didn’t get it, he unleased the gun on the victim.
Victim’s family grieving
Reading from a prepared letter from Smith’s sister that was read in court by Assistant State Attorney Amy Berndt, it said Smith was more than a number and a case. Smith’s sister said her brother was her best friend and they trusted each other.
Smith’s sister said they were supposed to grow old together. Now, she said, he’s gone, and no sentence will ever bring him back. She said her brother was a loving, funny person who will never be forgotten.
The young man’s mother also read from a prepared letter. She said her son’s death is so painful to the family, that her other son committed susicide.
The woman said she remember the time when her son was teaching his sister to ride a bicycle. He promised he would hold on, but eventually let go while his sister peddled away, not knowing she was riding by herself.
She said her son had dreams of becoming a barber and opening his own shop.
To the shooter, she said she sees a child and feels sorry for his family. She asked the judge for justice.
The defendant speaks
At the podium, the boy’s grandmother told the court she helped raised her grandson and has been in his life.
Calling him a sweet boy, who’s funny, loveable and playful, she said she doesn’t know what happened. She said he was doing well in elementary school. It changed when he began hanging with the wrong crowd, she said.
His mother, she said, worked two jobs. The grandmother asked the judge to give her grandson another chance.
Wearing a brown top and red pants, the boy asked for leniency. He said he was 13, and incarcerated, he has had time to reflect and wants to continue his education.
To Smith’s family, he said he was sorry and again asked the judge to consider his age.
His lawyer told the judge that a long prison sentence for his client would do more harm than good. He said the teen should do time, but it should be reasonable, followed by probation.
Rodriguez said he’s not minimizing what was done, but if given a chance, the boy could change.
Prosecutor
Hunt told the court about the times the boy had been arrested and his lack of compassion. In the end, the defendant only cared about himself, Hunt said.
The prosecutor said the boy was on probation when he shot and killed Smith. He said the boy is street smart, influential and was savvy enough to plan the robbery.
Hunt said the boy’s family loves him, sent him to public and private schools trying to help him. The lawyer said in jail, the teen hasn’t taken any advantages or steps to rehabilitate himself. Instead, Hunt said he gets into trouble time after time after time.
Frankly, Hunt said, the boy doesn’t care and wants to do what he wants to do.
A report prepared for sentencing noted the boy was a high risk to re-offend. On his social media page, Hunt pointed out that the boy posed with guns and is seen smoking.
When he attended schools in Alachua and Marion counties, his behavior and school work were in the toilet. At one point, he had cut off his ankle monitor and ran away, Hunt said.
Contact Austin L. Miller at austin.miller@starbanner.com
This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: 50 years for 16-year-old who killed a young man when he was 13
Reporting by Austin L. Miller, Ocala Star-Banner / Ocala Star-Banner
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
