Tony Curtis Stephens III, 19, was fatally shot during a domestic dispute at a West Fourth Street residence in Kenly, North Carolina, on the night of May 28, 2026. The shooting occurred around 10:00 p.m.; Stephens suffered a gunshot wound to his upper abdomen and was taken first by Johnston County EMS and then airlifted to WakeMed, where he later died. He was born January 7, 2007, and was a Cary High School graduate who enjoyed history, music, and spending time with family.

Kenly Police arrested 54-year-old Tamiko T. Shearin and charged her with voluntary manslaughter, alleging an argument between Shearin and Stephens III led to the single fatal gunshot. A search warrant executed at the home uncovered controlled substances, leading to multiple drug-related charges against Shearin and against 42-year-old Tony Curtis Stephens Jr., who is the victim’s father and whom investigators say was in a dating relationship with Shearin. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is assisting the Kenly Police Department.

Does anyone have information about Tony Curtis Stephens III, the household, or events that night that could help the investigation?