By RIEL MAJOR

Tribune Staff Reporter

rmajor@tribunemedia.net

THE man who was shot dead while lying in bed on Saturday was out on bail on an armed robbery charge, however his sister said the victim had been trying to change his life.

Cordero “Show Boy” Smith, 27, who was being electronically monitored by police, was reportedly asleep at his home on Sister Marie Rahming Drive, Millennium Gardens shortly before 2am when an armed man stood outside his window and opened fire into his bedroom. His young son was in the bedroom with him, a relative said.

Smith was fatally wounded and died at the scene as the gunman fled the area.

Yesterday Smith’s sister Carlisa McKenzie said her brother had been released on bail around two months ago. She claimed her brother was trying to change his life for his young son but did not get the chance.

Ms McKenzie, who spoke to The Tribune from the family’s home in Millennium Gardens, said: “He was in jail two years prior and he told me, ‘sis I change and I’m strong now’. He said he wanted to do better for his son and then that happen, so I feel bad because they didn’t give him a chance; they just came and (killed him).” 

She added: “I know my brother and I know him well and I (started) to see a change in him. With him sitting in jail prior, he used to write me letters that said he was going to change, and that he wanted to stop stressing (our) mother out. He wasn’t a killer; my brother wasn’t a killer I know that for sure.”

She said the family is struggling to come to grips with the murder, having lost another loved one just last year.  

“We are shocked...like this is a shock to our family and it hit close seeing that we just buried our (grandmother) last year. It was just too sudden because I just talked to him two hours before (the incident), so it was sudden.” 

Ms McKenzie said her brother died in front of his son. 

“His son is 4-year-old and he is aware (of his father’s death) because he ran in our mother’s room. He had to (crawl over my brother) to get out of the room so he saw his daddy lying in the pool of blood. That night (his son) couldn’t sleep and after that we got him to sleep but I don’t know how that will affect him (long-term),” she said.

“He had a curfew so at a certain time he had to be inside. He changed...he changed his company and started hanging out with our little cousins.”

Smith’s murder was the 39th for the year, according to The Tribune’s records. A teenager was killed in Grand Bahama on Monday, pushing the murder count to 40 for the year up to press time.

Up to this point last year, there had been 51 murders, The Tribune’s records show, meaning murders have decreased by 22 percent.

Anyone with information about these incidents or any other crime is asked to call police at 919, 502-9991 or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 328-TIPS (8477).