On June 6, 2017, the life of 28-year-old Keyonna Perkins was tragically cut short in a wooded area of Elkton, Maryland, the culmination of a violent and escalating feud. Perkins, an unsuspecting victim, was caught in the crossfire of a dispute involving her boyfriend, Markevis Stanford, and a group of men led by Ryan Bacon. The conflict had been brewing for some time, but it intensified significantly after Stanford and an associate allegedly robbed members of Bacon's group a month prior to
Perkins' death.
This robbery ignited a conspiracy for revenge, with Bacon and his associates, including Dion Oliver, Dontae Sykes, Michael Pritchett, Maurice Cooper, and Teres Tinnin, actively plotting to find and kill Stanford. They utilized online applications to share information and even offered bounties for his location or murder. On June 5, 2017, the group mistakenly believed they had located Stanford at an apartment complex. The following day, their focus tragically shifted to Keyonna Perkins.
Identifying Perkins as Stanford's partner, the group followed her, eventually confronting her at gunpoint. They took her keys and cell phone, blindfolded her, and forced her into the trunk of a car. Perkins was then driven to Elkton, Maryland, where she was fatally shot multiple times. Her body was discovered in a wooded area near Ross Street. The same day, the relentless pursuit of Stanford continued, leading to a shooting in Wilmington, Delaware. While Stanford escaped unharmed, a stray bullet struck 6-year-old JaShown Banner in the head, leaving him with permanent disabilities.
A federal investigation into Perkins' murder and the shooting of the young boy unraveled the conspiracy, leading to the indictment of multiple individuals on charges of conspiracy, stalking, and kidnapping. The legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for the victims. Dion Oliver was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the kidnapping and murder. Dontae Sykes, who cooperated with authorities, received a reduced sentence of less than 16 years. Ryan Bacon was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his part in the kidnapping and murder. Michael Pritchett received a 25-year sentence. Teres Tinnin was sentenced to 15 years. Jaclyn McCain, Sykes' girlfriend, pleaded guilty to lying to federal agents about the vehicle used in the crime and was sentenced to time served after six months of pretrial detention. Federal charges against Maurice Cooper were dropped as he was already serving a 75-year sentence on unrelated state charges.
