Where is Ronald Smith now? Details explored ahead of The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen

The Real Murders of Atlanta is all set to cover the murder of Genai Coleman at the hands of Ronald Smith in its upcoming episode. The case dates back to 2008 and remains just as scary today because Coleman was murdered in a completely random manner, with the killer not having to do anything with her.

This case is the subject of The Real Murders of Atlanta season 3 episode 5, which will air at 9 p.m. EST on September 14, 2024. The synopsis for the episode reads:

"After a naval reservist is gunned down in her car outside an Atlanta mall, detectives pour over video footage, phone records and forensic evidence, only to discover that the DNA sample found at the crime scene creates an unforeseen twist in the case."

Ronald Smith was arrested and charged for the murder but not before a mind-bending twist that left the investigators baffled. He was still sentenced to life after he was arrested and charged. He remains in prison as of today.

Read on to find out what happened to Genai Coleman and how Ronald Smith was brought to justice.

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Why did Ronald Smith murder Genai Coleman?

Genai Coleman's murder was solved quickly by the police (Image via Pexels)

On July 18, 2008, Genai Coleman, a mother of three, was simply waiting at a parking near Gwinnett Place Mall, Georgia, to pick up her daughter. A man allegedly walked out of a gas station across the street and held her at gunpoint. He demanded she get out but shot her in the process.

After shooting Genai Coleman in the chest, he pulled her out of the car and drove away. A bus driver was the only witness to step up to help the police. It was seemingly a random crime.

Brittany Barrington, the crime scene supervisor for the case, previously told Fox:

"This is a crime of opportunity...She was doing what people do every day, and I still do it sometimes – everybody does. You’re just sitting in your car on your phone, not paying attention, just in a random parking lot. He took advantage of that. It’s truly a crime of opportunity. He needed her car, and he was going to take it."

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How was Ronald Smith arrested?

Genai was murdered because Ronald Smith wanted to steal her car (Image via Pexels)

Although initially there was little to no physical evidence, the police had a breakthrough when they spotted the stolen car the following day in the parking space of a diner in Forest Park, Georgia. That was nearly 40 miles away from the crime scene.

The car contained a cigarette butt and fingerprints, which meant the authorities had access to the DNA of the perp. They also verified that the cigarette was exactly the one the assistant had purchased before the crime.

After the DNA results came, the police found out that it was a man named Donald Eugene Smith, who was previously arrested for a weapon-related charge. Moreover, Donald's cellphone location also seemed to hint he was involved.

When the police were sure he was the perpetrator, a bizarre twist came their way. After constantly denying that he was involved, the police showed Donald the surveillance footage. But he revealed that it was his twin brother Ronald Smith. That left the authorities baffled, but they confirmed that the assailant was indeed Ronald Smith.

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Where is Ronald Smith now?

After this revelation, the police brought in Ronald Smith, whose fingerprints also matched the one they found in the car. He admitted that he shot Genai Coleman but had no intention of doing so. He claimed that the gun went off while he was simply trying to steal the car.

He was ultimately sentenced to life in prison for the murder, 20 years for carjacking and five years for firearm possession. He remains incarcerated at Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo, Georgia.

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The upcoming episode of The Real Murders of Atlanta on Oxygen will cover this case in more detail.