Incident Overview
On New Year’s Eve in Saginaw, Michigan, 19-year-old Kendall Berrington, who was pregnant and experiencing contractions, stopped at a Marathon gas station on Court Street for a soda. She was fatally shot in the head, killing her and her unborn son, Roman, due on January 14. A 22-year-old man with her was critically injured, and a mother with her 7-year-old child narrowly escaped harm. The shooting stemmed from 17-year-old Korvareaon Smith entering the store and immediately firing at another individual, sparking a shootout that caught innocents in the crossfire.
Suspect Details and Charges
Smith faces charges of open murder, assault with intent to murder, homicide-willful killing of an unborn quick child, discharging a firearm in or at a building, and felony firearm. Saginaw County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Blair Stevenson described the acts as “callous” and Smith as a “severe danger to the community.” Smith, on probation with a juvenile record since 2021, has prior adjudications for running away, tampering with a probation tether, fleeing police, driving without a license, multiple AWOL incidents, and failed drug tests. He surrendered on January 13 with a parent and is held without bond, with a probable cause conference scheduled for Wednesday.
Victim Background
Berrington, whose birthday was January 10, was remembered in her obituary as a joyful, outgoing “great kid” who loved the Stitch character from Lilo & Stitch. Her brother, Brent Morris, noted the family frequented the gas station nightly. Prosecutors highlighted the tragedy of her being in a vulnerable state, simply seeking a “pop” en route from the hospital.
This case underscores recurring issues with youth violence, probation failures, and gun access in public spaces—Michigan’s open murder charge allows flexibility in proving intent, potentially leading to first- or second-degree murder convictions. Local coverage from MLive and WJRT provides ongoing updates. What aspect of this story interests you most, like legal implications or community impact?
