Hakeem Smith shot Douglas Young three times in the head during a high-end sneaker deal before stealing 10 pairs and later setting the rental car containing Young’s remains on fire, prosecutors said
BROOKLYN, NY – A Crown Heights man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury found he lured a business acquaintance to a remote Brooklyn location, shot him three times in the head, stole a $25,000 collection of high-end sneakers and returned two days later to torch the rental car containing the victim’s remains.
Hakeem Smith, 31, was sentenced Thursday to life in prison without the possibility of parole by Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice John Hecht, according to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office.
Smith was convicted Aug. 25 of first-degree murder and third-degree arson following a jury trial.
The case stemmed from the Feb. 6, 2020, killing of Douglas Young, a Georgia man who flew to New York to sell Smith 10 pairs of high-end sneakers.
Young knew Smith and had previously conducted similar business with him, according to evidence presented at trial.
The two were initially supposed to meet near Barclays Center. Prosecutors said Smith instead changed the meeting location to a remote area of Red Hook near 621 Court Street.
Young drove his rental vehicle to the location and showed Smith the sneakers.
Smith then shot Young three times in the head while Young was sitting in the front passenger seat, killing him, according to the evidence.
Prosecutors said Smith took the 10 pairs of sneakers he was supposed to buy and left Young’s body inside the vehicle.
The stolen collection had an estimated resale value of $25,000 and included several sought-after Nike and Jordan models, including Nike Air Yeezy 2 Solar Red, Nike Dunk SB Low What the Dunk and Jordan 1 Retro High Travis Scott sneakers.
Two days after the murder, Smith returned to the location where Young’s body remained inside the rental vehicle and set the car on fire, prosecutors said.
Evidence at trial also showed Smith attempted to mislead Young’s family and investigators while relatives were searching for him.
The day after the killing, Smith offered to help Young’s relatives file a missing-person report.
Smith told the family and detectives that he and Young had met near Barclays Center, that their sneaker transaction never happened and that he had watched Young drive away to meet someone else, according to prosecutors.
Investigators ultimately arrested Smith on Sept. 11, 2020.
Nearly six years later, a Brooklyn jury convicted him of first-degree murder and third-degree arson.
Thursday’s sentence means Smith will not be eligible for parole.
Key Points
- Hakeem Smith, 31, was sentenced Thursday to life without parole for the 2020 murder of Douglas Young.
- Prosecutors said Smith shot Young three times in the head and stole 10 high-end sneakers with a resale value of $25,000.
- Smith returned two days later and set fire to the rental car containing Young’s remains before misleading the victim’s family and detectives, according to evidence at trial.