The family of Tristan Smith will receive friends today (12/28/22) from 4-7 p.m. at Sharon Baptist Church, 7916 Pedigo Road, with a funeral service to follow at 7.
Tristan Smith, 23, was killed on December 22, 2022, while trying to prevent shoplifting of ammunition and other material from Rural King in Halls, where he worked. Tristan graduated from Halls High School in 2018 and then majored in theatre at Pellissippi State Community College.
As of Dec. 28, some 427 donations in excess of $18,000 had been gifted to the GoFundMe account set up by family friend Colby Breeding. The Smith family has lost three of four sons:
- Shawn Hawkins Smith (July 3, 1996 – Aug. 29, 2019)
- Tristan Montgomery Smith (July 25, 1999 – Dec. 22, 2022)
- Samuel Keaton Smith (Oct. 6, 2000 – November 2018)
Survivors include the boys’ mother, Sandra Smith Remington; her husband, Ben; and son Kyle Smith. Tristan’s full obituary is here.
He was teaching himself multiple languages and wanted to travel throughout Europe and Asia to experience the world. That dream was cut short by a senseless killing in Halls. The suspect, Larry McBee Jr., has been arrested and is being held in the county detention center awaiting trial. Sheriff Tom Spangler led some 40 deputies on a 24-hour search until the suspect was taken into custody on Dec. 23.