Deante Antoine Jefferies, 29, was shot three times and killed on October 14, 2018, at a home on Leggett Road in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. He had been trying to protect his cousin’s friend, Shenika Shaw, from an estranged boyfriend who arrived unannounced and combative. Jefferies died at the scene in the arms of his cousin, Tiera Dancy.

After the shooting the suspect kidnapped Shaw; she was later found unharmed. Rocky Mount Police identified Dontrell Devon Bryant, 29, as the primary suspect. Bryant was arrested in New York on November 21, 2018, and charged with first-degree murder; he was held without bond pending extradition to North Carolina. Dancy identified Bryant as the shooter in a photo lineup, and police continued to seek evidence and to determine whether any additional suspects were involved.

The community mourned Jefferies, remembered as a gentle giant and a loving father. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to contact the Rocky Mount Police Department or Twin County Crime Stoppers.