Florida Teens Convicted of Killing 12-Year-Old Girl Sitting on Her Couch After Opening Fire Over Feud With Her Brother
LAKE CITY, FLORIDA – Two Florida teenagers have been convicted in the murder of a 12-year-old girl, who was shot to death inside her home after the teens fired more than 20 bullets into the residence over an ongoing feud with her older brother, according to court documents.
Drive-By Shooting Leaves 12-Year-Old Dead
Mariah Smith was sitting on her couch at her family’s home on NW Long Street in Lake City on August 24, 2023, when a group of teens unleashed a barrage of gunfire. Police said more than 25 shell casings and a laser sight were recovered outside the home.
Mariah was struck in the head and pronounced dead at the scene.
“She was just sitting there,” said a family member. “She had nothing to do with any of this.”
The investigation revealed that the shooting stemmed from a personal dispute between Mariah’s brother and the suspects, who were all teenagers at the time.
Teens Bragged on Instagram
Police arrested three suspects — Matthew Rice, Jayden Burch, and Jatarious Rashad Fluellen.
Prosecutors said Burch, then 15, supplied the firearms to his co-defendants before the trio walked to the Smith home and opened fire before running away.
A key piece of evidence was a social media conversation in which Burch bragged about the murder.
When asked by another Instagram user if he knew who killed Mariah, Burch replied: “I know, I did it.”
He even added a smiling emoji, according to testimony from WCJB Gainesville.
Two Convicted, One Awaiting Trial
A jury convicted Matthew Rice, now 18, of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, the same charges for which Burch was found guilty in August.
The third suspect, Fluellen, who was just 14 at the time of the shooting, is still awaiting trial.
Investigators also linked Rice to the murder weapon after finding his DNA on the laser sight left at the crime scene. Jurors reportedly deliberated for less than an hour before returning the guilty verdict.
Community Honors Victim
Following the tragedy, Lake City officials renamed the street where Mariah was killed to “Mariah Reginae Smith Forever 12 Memorial Street.”
“This is the first time in our city’s history something like this has been done,” said Mariah’s mother, Todneisha Filer. “No other family should ever have to go through this. We have to stop the gun violence.”
Both convicted teens are expected to be sentenced in the coming weeks.
For continued coverage of court cases and youth violence prevention efforts across the South, follow ChicagoMusicGuide.com.