DeAndrae Stephens

DeAndrae Stephens was a 30-year-old Black man and a rising star in the Portland, Oregon, music community. Known professionally as the rapper Drae Steves, he was a father who had attended Parkrose High School and was building a significant career. His life was cut short in the early morning hours of December 21, 2021. Around 1 a.m., Portland police officers were called to the city’s Goose Hollow neighborhood after receiving reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, they found Mr. Stephens, who had been fatally wounded. The state medical examiner’s office later confirmed his cause of death was a gunshot wound.

The loss of Mr. Stephens devastated his family and sent a shockwave through the local music scene, where he was regarded as a "bright star." He came from a deeply musical family; his father is a rapper known as Manic Lok, and his uncle is the respected Portland artist Cool Nutz. His uncle reflected that Mr. Stephens had created a new wave for the next generation of young urban rappers from Portland. His growing reputation had led to collaborations with several prominent West Coast artists, including E-40, Glasses Malone, and Mistah Fab, as well as a track with NBA star Damian Lillard, who raps under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A.

The Portland Police Bureau's investigation into the homicide progressed over the following weeks, culminating in the identification of a suspect. On Friday, February 4, 2022, authorities moved to make an arrest. A team composed of deputies with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Southwest Washington Regional SWAT team located 22-year-old Josiah Nettles in Vancouver, Washington, just across the state line from Portland. Nettles was taken into custody in connection with the killing.

Following his arrest, Josiah Nettles was charged with second-degree homicide and unlawful possession of a firearm for his alleged role in the death of DeAndrae Stephens. The arrest marked a major development in the case. As of February 2022, the case against Nettles was entering the court system for legal proceedings.