A Hamilton County judge sentenced Domynic Elahee to 21 years to life in prison on Monday for the 2025 shooting death of 18-year-old Jaeden Smith. The conviction followed a jury trial last month on charges of murder and felonious assault.
The shooting took place on May 5, 2025, at an apartment on Northland Boulevard in Forest Park, Ohio. Smith had gone to Elahee's door with his 7-year-old brother to discuss bullying by the man's 11-year-old son. Elahee fired a handgun across the living room, striking the unarmed teenager in the chest. Prosecutors said Smith was attempting to resolve the issue peacefully. Hamilton County Prosecutor Connie Pillich described the incident as heartbreaking, noting that two families were forever changed. Smith's mother called her son's actions an act of bravery. Elahee's defense claimed self-defense during the trial, but the jury rejected that argument. At sentencing, the defendant appeared with a smile, which his family said reflected seeing relatives after a long time. Judge Patrick Dinkelacker called the killing senseless and said Elahee had denied Smith a chance. Smith's family asked for the maximum sentence and expressed a sense of being robbed of their loved one. A GoFundMe page honors him as a protector and hero.