Plano PD arrests 17-year-old suspect for shooting death of Allen H.S. football player

PLANO, Texas - A 17-year-old suspect was arrested Monday for the fatal shooting of an Allen football player at a house party over the weekend.

Kemond Smith, who lives in Forney, was taken into custody and charged with the murder of Marquel Ellis, Jr.

Plano police said Smith is being held at the Plano City Jail and the investigation into the shooting is ongoing.

The parents of the 16-year-old boy said Monday he had a promising future ahead that was needlessly cut short when he was shot and killed at a residence in Plano on Saturday night. 

“The gun violence has to stop. Why are teenagers killing each other?” said mother Jocelyn Maduagwu.

Marquel’s parents still can’t fathom how their well-liked son ended up dead at a Saturday gathering with friends.

“I know that it was some teenagers getting together to have what they call a kickback. Just hanging out, playing video games, playing music,” Maduagwu said.

The Peachtree Lane house in Plano was listed as a short-term vacation rental. Marquel attended with his older sister who’s a senior. Marquel’s family said some uninvited people showed up, and that’s when the trouble began.

“They were turned around and from there they decided to shoot up the house from outside,” Maduagwu said.

The bullet that killed Ellis flew through a window.

“The shots were just random shots inside the house,” said Plano Police Officer David Tilley.

Smith is a Forney ISD student and was arrested at Forney’s alternative school, Forney Learning Academy, according to inforney.com. Officers made the arrest after interviewing teenagers at the party and going door to door in the neighborhood to recover images from surveillance.

“If he’s convicted, he’s going to have to pay for his actions for the rest of his life,” Tilley said.

Marquel’s parents said his 17-year-old sister did everything she could to save his life.

“She went through the whole process with him. Holding him. She called me on the phone holding him,” Maduagwu said. “She just said mom I tried everything on the phone screaming. I tried everything.”

Marquel Ellis, Sr. said his son was confident, focused and had dreams of playing for the University of Texas then the NFL.

“Didn’t have to worry about him much. Almost too good to be true,” said Marquel Ellis, Sr.

Now, the family wants the person who killed their son to be held accountable by the justice system.

“Their intent was to hit someone. They didn’t care who they hit, but their intent was to hit someone and they did. And they are going to get justice for it, there’s not a doubt,” Ellis, Sr. said.

The family says two separate vigils are still in the works. Allen High School plans to have a moment of silence at Monday night’s basketball game.