Two teenage gang-linked convicts arrested for murder of man shot to death in Holladay, Utah parking lot—charged as adults

Two repeat-offender teenagers linked to gangs have been charged with the murder of a man in Holladay, Utah. The minors are set to be charged as adults for the brutal crime.

The victim, identified as 26-year-old Demajhio Smith, was found deceased in a parking stall by police. The two suspects have been identified as Drake Preston Hernandez, 17, and Umda Woye Dike, 16. They have both been charged with murder, obstruction of justice, and illegal weapon possession.

Charging documents in the case cite a phone call to 911 where a neighbor in the apartment complex heard an argument outside his home. The statement, attributed to T.C., said that he was working on his laptop when he heard an argument outside, per Gephardt Daily.

The police report said, “T.C. heard two male voices, one loud and one softer. The louder voice was yelling phrases including, ‘you won’t do it,’ ‘go ahead, pop me in the head,’ and was calling the other person scared and a coward. T.C. reported he could hear the softer male’s voice using the N-word multiple times throughout the argument.”

Police came to the scene at around 8:30 pm on October 15, but at first did not find anything. Another call came in later saying that a man was found dead. “Unified Police were called to the complex, at 4822 S. Highland Circle, to a male who appeared to be passed out,” the court documents say. “When officers located the male, later identified as D.S., he was lying on the curb with a blood trail near his head…. In D.S.’s left hand was a single crumpled-up dollar bill.”

Smith had been "diagnosed with intellectual delay and ADHD at 8 years old, and has extreme social anxiety," according to the family.

The gang-linked teens claimed to police that they had been threatened by Smith, but that is not what surveillance video showed.

“Hernandez claimed that the male (D.S.) told them to get out of his way before they got hurt,” the indictment said. “The male kept following Hernandez and Dike as they crossed streets attempting to avoid confrontation.”

However, surveillance from Jiffy Lube “shows D.S. walking by on the sidewalk while two men, believed to be Hernandez and Dike, are on the opposite side of the street. The southside-facing camera shows Hernandez and Dike walking down the sidewalk in front of D.S. D.S. is showing no signs of interaction with Hernandez and Dike, and is following behind at a distance.”

Dike has a previous conviction of robbery and was on probation at the time of the killing. Hernandez was convicted in Third District Juvenile Court of possession of a firearm and robbery.

A GoFundMe has been set up by Smith's family and has thus far raised over $4,500. The fundraiser states, "Those who knew Demajhio remember a quiet, humble young man who mostly kept to himself and valued time with family and the people closest to him."