Randie's Light Initiative

Statement Regarding the Death of Randie Smith and Subsequent Case Handling

On August 23, 2021, Randie Smith was killed in Kansas City, Missouri, after responding to a Facebook Marketplace inquiry regarding the sale of a PlayStation 4.

The contact was initiated through a fraudulent profile, in which the individual posed as a woman to gain Ms. Smith’s trust.

That individual has been identified as Keron Black.u

Using that false identity, Mr. Black arranged an in-person meeting with Ms. Smith under the pretense of completing a routine transaction.

When Ms. Smith arrived, she encountered not one individual, but three:

• Keron Black
   
• Latrell Muldrew-Golston
   
• Raynell Muldrew-Golston
   

The evidence establishes that this was a coordinated encounter, not a spontaneous event.

During the course of that encounter, an attempted robbery occurred.

Raynell Muldrew-Golston discharged a firearm, striking Ms. Smith.

After being shot, Ms. Smith attempted to flee the scene.

She crashed her vehicle, and died as a result of her injuries.

Current Case Status

• Latrell Muldrew-Golston has been released and is currently free.
   
• Keron Black has been released to house arrest following a judicial decision that overrode the prosecutor’s objection.
  To date, no clear or comprehensive explanation for that decision has been provided to the family.
   
• Raynell Muldrew-Golston remains in custody awaiting trial.
  He has submitted statements that materially misrepresent the facts of the case, which the prosecution has indicated can be disproven.
   

Areas of Concern

This case raises significant concerns regarding both process and accountability.

Courtroom Proceedings

Family members were limited in their ability to speak.

The proceedings advanced, but did not fully reflect the gravity of the loss or its impact.

The handling of the matter reflected procedural movement rather than comprehensive acknowledgment.

Conduct at the Scene

Accounts of behavior at the scene indicate a lack of response consistent with the severity of the incident.

When a life is taken under these circumstances, the response must reflect that reality.

Lack of Transparency

Key decisions, including the release of Keron Black to house arrest, have not been accompanied by clear or sufficient explanation.

The family has not received consistent or complete communication regarding those decisions.

Failure to Evaluate Relevant Indicators

Publicly available information associated with the individuals involved includes references to weapons, violent imagery, and concerning behavioral patterns.

These indicators were accessible and identifiable.

There is no indication they were meaningfully evaluated as part of decision-making processes.

Systemic Concerns

The handling of this case highlights broader systemic issues:

• Incomplete evaluation of context surrounding criminal behavior
• Inconsistent consideration of behavioral patterns
• Accountability limited to formal charges rather than full factual understanding
• Lack of measurable standards tied to rehabilitation 
• Release decisions made without clearly articulated criteria 
• Insufficient inclusion of victims’ families in the process
   

Randie’s Light Initiative

Randie’s Light has been developed in direct response to these concerns and establishes a framework for improved accountability:

• Individualized case evaluation
• Pattern-based behavioral analysis, including digital activity 
• Accountability grounded in verified and complete factual records 
• Rehabilitation tied to measurable and demonstrable outcomes 
• Clearly defined standards governing release decisions 
• Consistent inclusion and acknowledgment of victims and their families
   

Closing Statement

Randie Smith was not a statistic. She was a person whose life had value.

The circumstances of her death, and the handling of this case, require full and transparent accountability.

This statement is not only about what occurred on August 23, 2021.

It is about ensuring that the processes that follow such events meet the standard of justice they are intended to uphold.

Randie’s Light exists to ensure that standard is clearly defined—and consistently applied.

#RandiesLight