DeMonyae Zaire Phelps, a 19-year-old Black man from Peoria, Illinois, was found late on the night of July 20, 2021, inside a car that had rolled to a stop on the 300 block of South Shelley Street. Officers arriving about 11:45 p.m. discovered the vehicle still running and Phelps slumped over the center console with multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene after life-saving efforts.

Investigators recovered six spent rifle casings at the scene, and the autopsy noted multiple wounds and that he died instantly. Early witness accounts and physical evidence indicated the shooting stemmed from a dispute over money that escalated into fatal violence. Detectives focused on Marvin A. Alexander, who was taken into custody and charged with first-degree murder.

If anyone saw activity on South Shelley Street that night or has information about the dispute leading to this shooting, please come forward.