Shivangi Sinha
In March 2021, the remains of brothers Darius Myles and Christopher Smith were discovered inside their Lawrenceville, Georgia, home. Their mother, Tyreene Renee Brown, was the one who found them and immediately alerted authorities. Investigators quickly concluded that the killer was likely someone familiar to the victims, and the inquiry soon narrowed in on several possible suspects. A&E’s ‘After the First 48: Green-Eyed Monster’ recounts the case and details the investigation into how the perpetrator was ultimately caught.
Darius Myles and Christopher Smith’s Remains Were Found by Their Mother
Darius “JR” Tyrone Myles Jr. was born on September 29, 1992, in Detroit, Michigan, to Darius Tyrone Myles Sr. and Tyreene Renee Brown. He grew up surrounded by a deeply supportive family. After his parents separated and his mother married Christopher L. Smith Sr., he took to his blended family with genuine affection. The arrival of his younger brother, Christopher “CJ” L. Smith Jr., on September 21, 1999, was a moment of pure happiness for everyone. Together, the boys were raised in a bustling household alongside their siblings, Rico, Tiara “TT,” Deja, Danielle, Dashawna Dejunae, Dasha, and Andre, creating a childhood filled with noise and the kind of everyday joys that come from growing up in a big, loving family.
Both Darius and Chris attended schools within the Gwinnett County School System. Darius graduated from Dacula High School in 2011, while Chris completed his education at Discovery High School in 2016. Despite the small age gap between them, the brothers shared an exceptionally close bond. They spent most of their time together, often behaving more like best friends than siblings. By 2021, life seemed to be falling into place for both of them. Darius was a proud father to four children: Aniyah, Jaiden, Harmony, and Zakye. Meanwhile, Christopher was in a committed relationship with Irreale Landrum and already envisioning a future by her side.
On March 29, 2021, Tyreene returned to their Lawrenceville, Georgia, home and instantly sensed that something was wrong. She first discovered Christopher on the living room sofa with a fatal gunshot wound to the head. Rushing upstairs to check on Darius, she found him in a bedroom, also shot in the head, and later reports revealed he had been struck four times. Shaken, she immediately called the police to report what she had found, prompting the launch of a full investigation.
Darius Myles and Christopher Smith’s Killer Knew His Way Around the House
The police quickly noticed that there were no signs of forced entry, indicating that the killer had either been let into the home willingly. It suggested that it was an acquaintance or someone familiar, or someone who knew how to get inside without leaving traces. Investigators reviewed footage from nearby security cameras and found that a motion sensor had been triggered around 3:35 am, the approximate time the murders were believed to have occurred. The video showed a shadowy figure, but the image was too unclear to identify anyone. Officers then asked the family to report any suspicious behavior from people they knew, and before long, they received a lead.
The family informed investigators that a man named Walter Debron Hill, a close friend of Darius, had not called or checked in after the incident, which immediately struck them as suspicious. At the crime scene, police recovered several .40-caliber shell casings, giving them a significant clue. Focusing on Hill, detectives obtained his cellphone records, which revealed that he had been near the house between 3:30 and 4:00 am on the night of the incident. He had also spent time with the brothers earlier that day, leading police to believe that after leaving their gathering, he returned to the home later that night.
Police eventually traced Hill to Houston, Texas, though only his vehicle was located there. Inside the car, investigators found .40-caliber shell casings that matched those recovered from the crime scene. He was later arrested in Gwinnett County after he returned to the area in June 2021. During questioning, he claimed his gun had been stolen, though he had never reported it missing. According to police records, the description he gave of the weapon, however, matched the firearm used in the killings. Hill was subsequently taken into custody and charged with two counts each of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
Walter Debron Hill is Serving Two Life Sentences in a Georgia Prison Today
As stated in court proceedings, Walter Debron Hill continued to deny any involvement in the murders and never offered a clear motive for the crime. He also attempted to downplay his relationship with Darius Myles, suggesting they were not as close as others claimed. He ended up saying that he “felt nothing” at the time. In April 2024, he was convicted on all charges and sentenced to two life terms plus an additional ten years. Now 33, he is incarcerated at Hays State Prison in Chattooga County, Georgia, where he is expected to spend the rest of his life behind bars.
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