In the quiet neighborhood of Springdale, Maryland, a life was tragically cut short on the evening of October 23, 2018. Dabeyon Byrd, a 21-year-old male, was found suffering from a gunshot wound in the 9000 block of Quiet Glen Court. Prince George's County police officers responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 8:55 p.m. and discovered Byrd outside.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary investigation into the shooting suggested that it was not a random act of violence. Investigators believed the incident stemmed from an illegal drug transaction that took a fatal turn. In the course of their investigation, detectives identified a suspect in the killing of the Bowie resident.
A grand jury indicted 18-year-old Jayvon Gattison of District Heights for the murder of Dabeyon Byrd. The case proceeded through the justice system, and on December 5, 2019, Gattison was sentenced in connection with Byrd's death. He was convicted of voluntary manslaughter, with court documents indicating that he shot and killed a man who attempted to rob him during a drug deal. For this crime, Gattison received a 10-year sentence, with four years suspended, to be followed by three years of probation.
