by Man Sentenced to 13–40 Years for Fatal Kentwood Hotel Shooting
A Kent County judge has sentenced 23-year-old Ateivise Jaquez Smith to 13 to 40 years in prison for the shooting death of Jaquarrie Garrett, who was killed at a Kentwood hotel in March 2023.
Garrett, 22, had traveled from Georgia back to Grand Rapids to celebrate his son’s first birthday when he was shot five times at the Delta Hotel. The case has deeply affected his loved ones, especially his mother and sister, who expressed their heartbreak and disappointment at Thursday’s sentencing.
“It’s like the court summed up his life by his past, by his wrongdoings,” said Garrett’s mother, Lasayethia Garrett, in a statement shared by WZZM 13. “They decided his life was only worth 13 years.” She added that her son had moved 635 miles away to create a better life for his child—only to be killed in the city he once called home.
Judge J. Joseph Rossi said Smith’s age played a role in the lighter sentence, calling it a “downward departure.” He explained that young adults often act impulsively and don’t fully understand the long-term consequences of their actions. Still, the judge acknowledged the devastating toll the shooting had on Garrett’s family.
Smith also received an additional two-year mandatory sentence for a felony firearm conviction, according to MLive.
During the trial, Smith was identified as a member of the 30boyz gang. Investigators said the shooting followed a social media dispute between Smith and Garrett. According to WOOD TV, shell casings from the scene matched a gun Smith had dropped while running from police in May 2023.
That pursuit, unrelated to the homicide case, ultimately led to his arrest. After the Glock handgun he dropped was linked to the Delta Hotel crime scene through ballistic testing by Michigan State Police, Smith was extradited from Chicago to face murder charges.
Smith declined to speak during his sentencing.
