Police have released CCTV footage of Rhyce Smith in Temora hours before his death, as investigations continue under Strike Force Gracemont. Photo: NSW Police.
Police have released CCTV footage as investigations continue into the suspicious death of an 18-year-old man found with a gunshot wound to the head in Temora late last year.
Emergency services were called to Ashelford Street, on Temora’s western outskirts, about 5:50 am on Sunday, 7 December, 2025, after reports a man’s body had been found on the roadway near the intersection of Golf Club Road.
The body of local teenager Rhyce Smith was located about 200 metres west of a drainpipe, with a firearm nearby.
Police have since confirmed the death is being treated as suspicious and is not believed to have been self-inflicted.
Detectives attached to Riverina Police District established Strike Force Gracemont, with assistance from the State Crime Command Homicide Squad, to investigate the circumstances surrounding the young man’s death.
NSW Police publicly released the CCTV footage as part of a renewed appeal for information, hoping it will help piece together Mr Smith’s movements in the hours before his death and prompt anyone with relevant information to come forward.
The footage shows Mr Smith at a property in Vesper Street, Temora, about 12:30 am on the morning he died.
He is seen wearing black pants and a black hooded jumper.
Police believe he was walking around Temora during the early hours of the morning before his death and are seeking information from anyone who may have seen him or captured CCTV or dashcam footage from the area.
The death has shocked the close-knit Riverina community, with investigators describing the loss of such a young life as devastating for his family and friends.
Anyone with information about Mr Smith’s movements leading up to his death is urged to contact Temora Police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
