James Eddie Delando Hill was 38 when he was shot dead on the evening of August 15, 2013, while standing with friends outside a house at 2402 Acorn Street in Portsmouth, Virginia. The sudden killing left the neighborhood searching for answers.

Portsmouth police arrested Lamar D. Ealey in December 2015 and charged him with first-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Authorities said the shooting was allegedly motivated by revenge for the death of a friend of Ealey’s. Ealey remained jailed for years as his trial was repeatedly delayed after several defense attorneys were removed for conflicts of interest.

When the case finally went to trial in August 2019, the prosecution’s case depended largely on a single witness; the defense attacked that witness’s credibility, saying the testimony could be aimed at obtaining a lighter sentence in an unrelated matter. The jury returned a verdict of not guilty, acquitting Lamar Ealey of the charges in Hill’s death.

Did anyone in Portsmouth see Hill that night or have information about the shooting or its aftermath?