Jaleel Smith-Riley was a 23-year-old man who was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole in 2016. He was involved in a fatal shooting of a 22-year-old woman, Porshia Brooks, and the attempted murder of her boyfriend, Aron Martin, in Norwood, Ohio, in 2013. What led to this tragic outcome and how did the authorities catch him? Here is a summary of the events that unfolded in this case.
The Night of the Crime
On November 16, 2013, Porshia Brooks and Aron Martin were enjoying a Saturday night sitting in a parked car on Carthage Avenue in Norwood. They were both 20 years old at the time and had been dating for about a year. According to Martin, they were listening to music and talking when a man approached their car and ordered him out at gunpoint. The man was later identified as Jaleel Smith-Riley.
According to court documents, Smith-Riley forced Martin out of the passenger side, went through his pockets and then shot him in the head. Martin survived his injuries. Smith-Riley, the documents say, then leaned into the car and fired two shots at Brooks as she sat. She died three days later at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
Smith-Riley fled the scene with two other men who were waiting in another car nearby. The motive for the crime was robbery, but none of the victims had anything of value to steal. It was a crime of opportunity that turned into a senseless act of violence.
The Investigation and Arrest
The Norwood police responded to the scene at approximately 10:30 p.m. and found Martin standing outside of the car covered in blood and speaking incoherently. They initially suspected him of being involved in the shooting, but they soon realized he was also a victim. He was taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery and recovered from his wound.
The police had no leads or witnesses for the case. They released a sketch of the suspect based on Martin’s description and offered a reward for any information. They also canvassed the area with flyers and held press conferences to appeal to the public. The Brooks family and Martin also cooperated with the investigation and hoped for justice.
For nearly two years, the case remained unsolved. The police received several tips but none of them led to any arrests. The breakthrough came in October 2015, when a Crimestoppers tip identified Smith-Riley as the shooter. The tipster also named two other men who were involved in the crime. One of them was deceased and the other one was jailed in a different state.
The police tracked down Smith-Riley in Cincinnati and arrested him on October 15, 2015. He was charged with aggravated murder, murder, two counts of felonious assault, attempted murder and aggravated robbery. He faced the death penalty if convicted on all charges.
The Trial and Sentencing
Smith-Riley pleaded guilty to all charges on September 19, 2016, as part of a plea deal that spared him from the death penalty. He agreed to testify against his accomplice who was still alive and awaiting trial in another state. He also apologized to the victims’ families and expressed remorse for his actions.
However, on October 19, 2016, he shocked everyone by requesting to change his plea to not guilty. He claimed he was coerced into confessing by his lawyers and that he was innocent of the crime. His request was denied by Judge Barry Kubicki, who sentenced him to life without parole as previously agreed.
Smith-Riley broke down in tears and collapsed to the floor after hearing his sentence. He sobbed uncontrollably and repeated that he made a mistake and wanted to change his plea. He was escorted out of the courtroom by deputies as he continued to cry.
The victims’ families were relieved by the outcome and expressed their satisfaction with the justice system. They said they hoped Smith-Riley would spend the rest of his life in prison and never hurt anyone again. They also said they missed Porshia Brooks dearly and wished she was still alive.