Denzell Roderick Jordan

Denzell Roderick Jordan, a 30-year-old Black man from Killeen, Texas, was a beloved barber and a devoted father to his young son, Kevyn. Known to friends and family as "DJ" and to his many clients as "Sleepy the Barber," he had a passion for his craft, winning several barbering competitions. Denzell attended Killeen High School and R & E Cosmetology and Barber College before honing his skills in Houston and Los Angeles. He was remembered for his kind and compassionate heart, often spending his off time feeding and giving free haircuts to the homeless.

In the early morning of September 29, 2022, a domestic incident occurred at a residence in the 600 block of Leo Lane in Killeen. Police were dispatched to the home at approximately 2:38 a.m. in response to a report of a gunshot victim. Upon arrival, officers found Denzell suffering from a gunshot wound. They immediately began performing life-saving measures until paramedics arrived, but Denzell was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:30 a.m. by a Justice of the Peace, who ordered an autopsy.

The preliminary investigation revealed that during the domestic incident, a suspect displayed a weapon, shot Denzell, and fled before police arrived. Through their investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 40-year-old Antonio Bernard Heath. Heath later turned himself in to police and told them where he had hidden the weapon.

Authorities arrested Heath, and the Bell County District Attorney’s Office filed complaints charging him with murder, tampering with evidence, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. A judge set his total bond at $1.1 million, and he was booked into the Bell County Jail.

In December 2022, a Bell County grand jury handed down an indictment against Antonio Bernard Heath, formally charging him with first-degree murder, as well as the charges of tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. During a court hearing in May 2023, Heath pleaded not guilty to all charges.

A jury trial for the tampering with evidence charge was held separately. As of March 2024, the murder charge against Antonio Heath remained pending litigation.