On the late evening of November 30, 2017, gunshots were reported in the 300 block of North Hickory in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. Officers arriving shortly after 10 p.m. found 46-year-old John Michael Stepps lying in the street just outside his vehicle; he had sustained fatal gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Stepps, a Black man born in Pine Bluff on September 23, 1971, was a 1988 graduate of Dollarway High School and had been a letterman in track and football on the 1988 State Championship team. He was active in Full Counsel Church, enjoyed fishing, caring for his dogs, and was known for his love of fashion and the Dallas Cowboys. His wife, Maxine, made public pleas for information and a $10,000 reward was offered for information leading to an arrest and conviction.

Despite investigative efforts and the reward, no arrests or public identifications of suspects have been made and the case remains unsolved. If anyone has information about the shooting, please contact the Detective Division of the Pine Bluff Police Department.