Kyron Santino Zarco Smith was just 3 years old when he was struck by gunfire while sitting on his living room couch watching television with his 9-year-old brother in their Athens, Georgia home. The child died from a gunshot wound to the chest. His older sibling survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
Background
The shooting occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. on March 8, 2024, at the Hallmark Mobile Home Park in Athens. According to prosecutors with the Georgia Attorney General's Office, four men drove to the mobile home park that evening with a specific target: a rival gang member who lived at the residence where Kyron and his siblings were located.
Investigators later learned the suspects—members of the Everybody Eats (EBE) street gang—were seeking to increase their status within the organization by carrying out the attack. The Georgia AG's Office said Desmontrez Mathis, Jayden Brown, and Dakious Echols opened fire upon arriving at the home, sending a barrage of bullets into the structure where Kyron and his 9-year-old brother were seated on a couch in the living room.
The shooters fled the scene following the shooting. Law enforcement launched an investigation that ultimately identified all four suspects and connected them to the fatal attack.
Kyron's mother, Shanita Smith, told WXIA-TV she had stayed home from work that day because her son was sick. She departed briefly to purchase his favorite candy and was driving back to their residence when the shooting occurred. The family subsequently relocated away from Athens following the tragedy.
The Investigation
Athens-Clarke County police worked alongside the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Attorney General's Office to build their case against the four suspects. Investigators determined the attack was gang-motivated and identified Mathis, Brown, and Echols as the primary shooters. Julian Cubillos, who was 18 at the time of the shooting, accompanied the others but did not fire any shots himself.
Desmontrez Mathis (24), Jayden Brown (18), and Dakious Echols (20) were each convicted of malice murder and additional charges. They received mandatory life sentences with no possibility of parole. Julian Cubillos, now 19, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years incarceration after cooperating with authorities throughout the prosecution.
Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr issued a statement following the sentencing: "While nothing can bring Kyron back, we hope this outcome provides his family with some sense of peace and the justice they deserve. This was a senseless shooting that should have never occurred."
Key Takeaways
- Kyron Santino Zarco Smith was 3 years old when he died in the March 8, 2024 drive-by shooting at his family's Athens home
- Three men—Desmontrez Mathis, Jayden Brown, and Dakious Echols—were convicted of malice murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole
- Julian Cubillos pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and received a 20-year sentence after cooperating with prosecutors
- Prosecutors said the shooters were members of the Everybody Eats gang seeking to boost their status by targeting a rival gang member who lived at the residence
- Kyron's 9-year-old brother was also struck by gunfire but survived with non-life-threatening injuries
What's Next
All four men have been sentenced. Mathis, Brown, and Echols are serving life sentences in Georgia state prison. Cubillos is expected to serve his sentence under the terms of his plea agreement. The case represents one of several prosecuted by Attorney General Chris Carr's office targeting gang-related violence in the Athens area.