Donna Blackmon, 61, of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, was killed on August 22, 2021 when a stray bullet struck her while she slept in bed next to her husband of 20 years. The round came through the bedroom wall during an early morning shooting; police attempted life-saving measures but she did not survive.

Investigators later arrested two teenagers, Ezra Houston Yeary, 14, and Omarion Tremaine Davis, 15, charging them with murder. Evidence at trial showed the pair were involved in a drive-by shooting directed at rival gang members and that several shots from an AR-15 missed the intended target and struck Donna’s home, one of which proved fatal.

Her husband, Lorenza Blackmon, said he felt helpless despite his years of training as a veteran. The judge, Jason Ramey, described the killing as senseless and noted its impact on the family and community. Does anyone have information about Donna, her family, or the neighborhood that could add context to what happened that night?