The Murder of Harmahn Smith

For this case I watched an episode of Homicide City: Charlotte. It’s season 1 episode 1, titled ‘My Friend, the End.’

An 18 year old is reported missing after he doesn’t come home from a night out.

Background

Harmahn Smith

Harmahn Smith was born on July 8, 1986. He lived with mom Jacqueline, his dad Harry and younger sister in a nice neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina.

His family described him as hardworking and outgoing. He was a typical teenager who loved to go out with friends, and have his own money to buy things especially clothes.

The Disappearance

On January 28, 2005, Harmahn’s dad woke up around 2am to find out that Harmahn and his car were missing. They checked several times throughout the morning if Harmahn came home, but he never arrived. They called the police to report their son missing.

Detectives Chuck Conner and Terry Brandon with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Sheriff’s Department, arrived at the Smith home to talk to them.

They focused on Harmahn’s movements from the day he disappeared. Harmahn was supposed to spend time with his girlfriend Julie that night. She spoke with police, and said that she talked to him on the phone around 8pm, and again around 11pm. She said she didn’t know where he called her from, but that he never came to her house.

The police asked Julie who else Harmahn would spend time with, and she said there might have been a few friends from school. There was one person in particular, a friend named Rayshaun. Rayshaun spoke to police and said that Harmahn wanted to run away, and maybe go to South Carolina. This was looked into, but it was a dead end.

The First Lead

The police checked every hospital in the area, and there was no sign of Harmahn. An APB (all points bulletin) was put out for Harmahn’s champagne 1995 Nissan Maxima. His parents said he loved his car, and always took good care of it.

Several days passed without any leads or information. The police did obtain warrants for Harmahn’s bank and cell phone records. There was no hits on his bank cards, but the police did find something suspicious in his phone records.

There were two phone calls made on January 31, several days after Harmahn disappeared. The calls were made to a number that was tracked to a woman named Nya. The police tracked down Nya, and she said she didn’t know anyone named Harmahn. The police asked her who else lived with her, and she said her kids. Nya’s nephew Kurt Brock was also staying in the home on January 31, and Nya’s kids said that Kurt was the one who received these phone calls.

The police needed to find Kurt, but their search would be stalled when another discovery led them in another direction.

The Car

The police received a call about Harmahn’s missing car. It was found at an apartment complex called Lawyers Ridge. It was strange to the police because they knew Harmahn loved his car, and wouldn’t just abandon it. The car was towed to the police station for testing.

Another detective named Miguel Santiago joined the investigation, and he and the others canvassed the neighborhood. No one residents of the complex recognized the car or Harmahn from the photographs. However, a manager from the apartments said that there was a couple that abandoned their apartment the weekend of Harmahn’s disappearance.

The police were able to enter this apartment, and inside they found traces of blood. A CSI team was called in to collect blood samples, and send them in for testing.

A few weeks later, the couple was eventually found, but the woman said that she didn’t know Harmahn. She said she and her boyfriend left so abruptly due to financial issues. She was asked about the blood in the apartment, and she said it was from a dog they used to own.

The blood samples matched her story, the blood was animal blood not human. The couple was ruled out.

A Horrific Discovery

The testing also came back from Harmahn’s car. There was no fingerprints or DNA found on the outside of the car, but the CSI team decided to spray luminol inside the trunk. The CSI agent on this episode said it “lit up like a Christmas tree.” The blood was tested, and it did come back as being Harmahn’s blood.

On February 27, 2005, the police received a tip from a resident of another nearby apartment complex. He had gone fishing at Lake Point pond, and saw something suspicious in the water. It was a decomposing body, which was eventually identified as Harmahn Smith through his dental records. A garbage bag was duct taped around his face.

A few tips came into the police after Harmahn’s death was reported in the media. One tip would lead the police to what really happened to Harmahn that January night.

The Confession

A man called the police and asked them to meet with him. The man’s friend told the police that he saw two people that he knew driving Harmahn’s car on the night he disappeared. He identified the men as Kurt Brock and Akeem Keaton. The man said Kurt was also wearing a necklace with the face of Jesus on it, which was later revealed to have been another prized possession of Harmahn’s.

A week after Harmahn’s body was found, the police finally found Kurt at a relative’s house. They brought him in for questioning. They asked him if he knew Harmahn, and he said he did, but not that well. They asked him if he was with Harmahn on January 28, and he said yes, he was with Harmahn and Akeem. He denied knowing anything else, and walked out of the interview.

The police asked Akeem to come in for questioning. He agreed, and soon confessed to what happened that night. He said he was with Kurt and Harmahn, and that they decided to go back to Kurt’s apartment. They watched a movie, and fell asleep. He said he was woken up by someone screaming, and saw Kurt stabbing Harmahn. Akeem said that after the knife broke, Kurt hit Harmahn several times in the face with a frying pan, and then yelled at Akeem to get him some more knives.

Akeem said he complied, and then helped Kurt get rid of Harmahn’s body. They wrapped his face and feet with a garbage bag and duct tape. Kurt removed Harmahn’s necklace and wallet, and they carried him down three flights of stairs to Harmahn’s car. Akeem finished by saying they took him to the pond, and discarded the knives, and Harmahn’s belongings in a sewer.

The police knew Akeem was telling the truth when they found these items. Akeem and Kurt were both arrested.

Convictions

Kurt Brock pleaded guilty to second degree murder, kidnapping and robbery. He was sentenced to 16-20 years in prison.

Kurt Brock

Akeem Keaton went to trial, and was found guilty of second degree murder, kidnapping and robbery. He was sentenced to life in prison.

Akeem Keaton

As for the motive, Akeem told the police that Kurt thought Harmahn stole his credit card. One source said that Kurt thought Harmahn cheated him out of weed.

The police believe the motive was to rob Harmahn, and that they were maybe jealous of Harmahn.

FINAL THOUGHTS

I agree with the police, I think Akeem and Kurt wanted to rob Harmahn. They stole his wallet, his necklace and car after they brutally murdered him and dumped him like trash. They should have both received the same sentence. I don’t believe one was more involved than the other.

It was heartbreaking listening to Jacqueline, Harmahn’s mom. She broke down, and said when Harmahn was discovered, she asked God why this happened to her son. I hope they are happy with the justice that Harmahn got, but I’m sure they would rather have their son back.

Sources

https://www.monstersandcritics.com/tv/true-crime/murder-of-harmahn-smith-investigated/

https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/charlotte/obituary.aspx?pid=3237302

https://www.newsobserver.com/entertainment/tv/warm-tv-blog/article237956119.html