Do you know who murdered Deontae Yarnell? In the early morning hours of May 21, 2019, Deontae Daron Yarnell, a 25-year-old male, was shot and killed in Louisville, Kentucky. The fatal incident occurred around 2:30 a.m. near a car at the Parkway Place public housing complex, located off 13th Street and Brashear Drive. This was not the first time Yarnell had been a target of gun violence; just six months earlier, he had survived being shot four times in an incident that claimed the life of his longtime friend, Ralph Jefferies.
Deontae Yarnell's life had seen its share of turmoil. In 2017, he had been acquitted of murder in the shooting death of 18-year-old Deandrae Murphy following a home break-in. Although acquitted of murder, he was convicted of the lesser charge of reckless homicide and served little jail time. Law enforcement detectives in 2019 stated they did not believe Yarnell's murder was an act of revenge for Murphy's death. His mother, Stephanie Yarnell, described her firstborn as someone who 'did so much for any and everybody' and said he was trying to be there for his brothers.
As of May 2023, no arrests have been made in connection with Deontae Yarnell's death, and the investigation remains open and active. In the years following his unsolved murder, his family has continued to publicly appeal for justice. His mother, Stephanie Yarnell, and other relatives have taken measures to keep his case in the public eye, including purchasing a billboard on Seventh Street featuring his picture and a plea for information. The billboard asks, 'Know who killed me? Call 574-LMPD,' in the hope that someone will come forward with the information needed to solve the case and bring peace to his grieving loved ones.
