MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis police announced on June 5, 2024, that they have solved the 2016 homicide case involving 35-year-old Elmore Howard.
The deadly robbery happened Tuesday, August 16, in the 700 block of Marianna in Orange Mound, police said. Officers said they found Howard on the ground, where he had been shot several times.
Police said Howard told officers that he was robbed by someone named Jason Smith.
In critical condition, Howard was taken to Regional One, where he died Tuesday, August 23rd, around 4:30 p.m., a week after being shot.
Police said the Shelby County Medical Examiner ruled the death a homicide. Investigators continued working on the case, but it went cold due to lack of evidence.
In Oct. 2023, The Memphis Police Department Cold Case Unit Investigators received new information about the case that implicated Smith, 40, as the person responsible for the murder, MPD said.
On May 24, 2024, the Shelby County Grand Jury indicted Smith on two charges: first degree murder in the perpetration of especially aggravated robbery and convicted felon in possession of a handgun.
Smith is currently being held for unrelated charges in a medium security federal correction institution in Yazoo City, Mississippi, where he is set to be released on Dec. 17, 2025, police said.
MPD plans to serve the warrant against him where he's currently incarcerated, according to police.
"While justice may have been delayed, it has not been denied," a statement from MPD said. "As we move forward in the legal process, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of justice and will continue to stand by the families of victims, offering support and compassion every step of the way."