Jury Convicts Trahavonie Smith of Killing Good Samaritan in La Alma-Lincoln Park

DENVER — Denver District Attorney John Walsh has announced that a Denver jury today convicted Trahavonie Smith of second-degree murder and unlawful possession of a large capacity magazine in connection with the death of 63 year-old Garry Arellano.

On April 27, 2022, Smith shot and killed Arellano after Arellano stepped in to break up a fight between two teenage girls in La-Alma-Lincoln Park. One of the girls was Smith’s girlfriend.

Smith faces up to 48 years in prison when he’s sentenced on July 11.

“Garry Arellano’s death was a senseless tragedy; he was murdered while doing the right thing – trying to stop a fight between two girls. Today’s verdict ensures that Trahavonie Smith will be held accountable for his needless decision to shoot and kill Garry.  We hope that all those who knew and loved Garry now have a measure of comfort that justice has been served,” said DA Walsh.  “This result was due to the hard work of prosecutors, investigators, paralegals, and victim advocates in the Denver DA’s Office, as well as the Denver Police Department’s homicide detectives.  I also want to thank the jurors in the trial for their service.”

Senior Chief Deputy District Attorney Zach McCabe and Senior Deputy District Attorney Joshua Raaz prosecuted the case for the Denver District Attorney’s Office.

About the Denver DA’s Office:

The mission of the Denver DA’s Office is to protect the community, to seek equal justice for all, and to improve the quality and fairness of criminal justice on behalf of the people of Colorado.  We achieve that mission through excellence in our work investigating and prosecuting crime, supporting victims and their families, working with the community to prevent crime, and providing fair alternatives to incarceration in appropriate cases.

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