On a spring afternoon in Fayetteville, North Carolina, a 24-year-old man named Devante Jamal Lawrence was dropped off by his mother at the Omni Cinemas on Sycamore Dairy Road. It was April 13, 2018, and after he went into the movie theater, he was never seen or heard from again. When the movie was expected to have ended, his mother returned to pick him up, but he never appeared. Calls to his cellphone went straight to voicemail, and after hours of waiting, it became clear something was wrong.
The days that followed turned into a painful and prolonged period of uncertainty for Devante's family. His mother, Erica Lawrence, along with other family and friends, tirelessly distributed flyers throughout Fayetteville, desperate for any information that might lead to his whereabouts. Despite their efforts and the ongoing investigation by the Fayetteville Police Department, years passed without any significant leads. The family grappled with the anguish of not knowing what happened to their beloved 'DJ,' who was remembered as a kind young man with a passion for basketball.
In October 2023, more than five years after Devante's disappearance, a significant development occurred when human remains were discovered in a wooded area along Bragg Boulevard. The location was just a few blocks from where he was last seen. The remains, which appeared to have been there for an extended period, were sent for identification. On November 10, 2023, the Fayetteville Police Department confirmed the heartbreaking news that the remains belonged to Devante Lawrence. The case that began as a mysterious disappearance finally came to a devastating close. While the medical examiner determined that homicide did not seem to be the cause of death, the specific circumstances surrounding how he died have not been publicly released. A memorial service was held in his honor the following month.Last Seen: Apr 13, 2018
