FAYETTEVILLE, North Carolina — A quiet Sunday night turned into a scene of unfathomable loss for a Fayetteville family when three relatives were killed during a violent confrontation at their North Sumac Circle home on January 25, 2026. The deaths of 50-year-old Cheri Smith, her son 29-year-old Erin Poole and her daughter 23-year-old Amanda Smith have left neighbors and loved ones reeling as the community tries to grasp the weight of this tragedy.
Police say officers were called to the house just after 9:30 p.m. with reports of gunshots ringing out in the neighborhood. When they arrived, they found Cheri Smith and Erin Poole suffering from gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Amanda Smith was also found with gunshot wounds and rushed to a nearby hospital, where she later died from her injuries.
Investigators have identified 25-year-old Nijyle Lewis, a man known to Cheri Smith, as the suspect in the killings. Police say Lewis and Smith became involved in an argument that escalated into gunfire. A knife was also used during the altercation, and Lewis himself was seriously wounded. He fled on foot to a neighbor’s home seeking help before officers arrived.
Lewis was treated at a local hospital and remains in stable condition. Fayetteville police have charged him with three counts of first-degree murder. Detectives are reviewing witness accounts, surveillance footage, and emergency calls as part of the ongoing investigation. At this time police have stressed that this appears to be an isolated incident, and there is no known threat to the wider Fayetteville community.
Friends and neighbors described the Smith family as close-knit and loving. One longtime resident said the family kept mostly to themselves, but always seemed kind and caring toward others. For many who live on the block, the sound of gunfire late Sunday evening was shocking and unexpected in a place they considered peaceful.
Those who knew Cheri Smith remember her as a devoted mother whose life revolved around her children. Erin Poole was recalled as a loyal son and brother with a warm heart. Amanda Smith’s life, still so young, was tragically cut short before many of her dreams could unfold. Together, they built a life rooted in family, one now painfully remembered for its sudden end.
As Fayetteville grapples with this loss, local residents are offering condolences and support to surviving friends and relatives. Many have gathered in prayer, shared stories, and held one another up in the face of sorrow that seems too heavy to bear. In the quiet that follows violence, the names Cheri Smith, Erin Poole and Amanda Smith stand as reminders of lives loved deeply and gone too soon.
