On May 13, 2022 Elijah Umelo, 21, and Roland Lacure, 47, were convicted of murdering Desmond Jenkins, 18, in Raleigh, NC. Desmond was a star high school basketball player, on his way to playing in college.
Desmond was shot and killed on August 9, 2019 in Raleigh around 11:45 p.m. Desmond was shot in the parking lot of an apartment complex. Paramedics found the victim suffering from gunshot wounds at the scene. Desmond was transported to the hospital where he later died.
Desmond was a recent graduate of Sanderson High School. Desmond was recruited to play basketball at Granville-Vance Community College, he was set to arrive on campus within a week of his murder.
Elijah and Roland were later arrested and charged with murder. Court documents say that the suspects were robbed prior to the murder. The suspects thought Desmond robbed them and in retaliation murdered him.
But, as it turned out Desmond never robbed the men, and Desmond did not even know them. The suspects had the wrong man.
In May 2022 a judge sentenced Elijah and Roland to life in prison after they were convicted of first degree murder for Desmond’s shooting death.
