Three Ohio teens who are accused of viciously beating a father to death in a grocery store parking lot while laughing about it were charged with murder on Wednesday, two days after the man died.

The altercation occurred on Dec. 6 outside a Kroger supermarket in Columbus resulting in traumatic head injury to the man.

“On the night of Dec. 6, Jamarion Fredrae Evans-Bennett, 19, Dionta Davon Hughes, 18, and a 17-year-old male allegedly had a fight with shoppers inside the Kroger on South High Street. According to the Columbus Police Department, when store security told the teens to leave, they waited outside for 53-year-old Donald “Donnie” Smith, Jr., to exit the store and attacked him,” Law&Crime reported.

“The defendants, who were allegedly spotted ‘laughing and enjoying themselves’ while fatally stomping on, kicking, and punching Smith outside the store at around 7 p.m., went on to flee the scene when an armed witness confronted them, cops said,” the outlet noted.

(Video Credit: NBC4 Columbus)

“When the victim was on the ground the suspects continued to punch, kick, and stomp on the victim. The victim was unconscious and bleeding from the head area,” an affidavit of probable cause stated that was obtained by Law&Crime. “A witness with a firearm yelled at the suspects to stop the assault. The suspects then fled across the parking lot. This witness stated that the suspects were laughing and enjoying themselves while assaulting the victim.”

Smith was found by a store worker, brutally beaten near the pharmacy drive-thru. He was unconscious and bleeding from his head.

The tragic murder is being investigated by police as a felonious assault. At the time it took place, Smith was left in critical condition. He has since succumbed to his injuries leaving behind his longtime partner and the mother to his daughter, 6, and son, 15 as well as another son. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up under the name of Nicole Evans to cover costs. The site recounts that the father was “injured so severely that he had to undergo brain surgery.”

“Despite doctors’ efforts to save his life, Donnie did not make it. He had no insurance, leaving the cost for funeral services to Nicole. He also left behind their two young children, just a week before Christmas,” the GoFundMe post states.

Evans was interviewed by local ABC affiliate WSYX, telling them that she is “devastated” and “sick to [her] stomach” over Smith’s brutal death.

3 teens beat a 53 year old father of 3 to death.

A witness describes them as “laughing and enjoying themselves” while fatally stomping, kicking, and punching him. They continued to beat him even after he was down.

They were stopped by an armed Good Samaritan but it was too… pic.twitter.com/ZrCJfICBO2

— Marina Medvin (@MarinaMedvin) December 22, 2023

“It’s just sickening, and I cannot believe you would take another person’s life,” Evans remarked. “It was a random act of violence.”

She went on to tell the media outlet that Smith was a “great father” who loved his children, family, and friends. He also reportedly “loved race cars, softball, and sports,” according to his obituary.

“I don’t know how you could just take another person’s life so senselessly,” she commented.

Smith was the father of two sons and one daughter, and grandfather to one granddaughter. He passed away on Dec. 18 just one week before Christmas traumatizing the family even more.

“Franklin County court records reviewed by Law&Crime show that Evans-Bennett and Hughes were arrested Wednesday and had arraignments scheduled for Thursday morning. The third suspect, a minor, was arrested the same day as his co-defendants. It’s unclear at this time if the 17-year-old is being charged as an adult,” Law&Crime wrote.

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