In the early morning hours of August 20, 2016, Taiwo Oduwole, a 31-year-old man, was shot and killed during an attempted robbery at the 7-Eleven where he worked on Brandywine Road in Clinton, Maryland. Oduwole, a native of Nigeria, had moved to the United States just three months prior and was working to pay for his master's degree. He was known by regular customers as a quiet and friendly presence at the convenience store.
The incident unfolded just before 5 a.m.
when a masked gunman entered the store and demanded money. After assaulting Oduwole, the suspect shot him twice in the back as he attempted to flee by jumping over the counter and running out of the store. Oduwole collapsed in the parking lot and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. The gunman fled the scene without taking any money.
Police investigators released surveillance photos of the suspect, who was wearing a distinctive North Face jacket with a backpack attached. Authorities believed the same individual was responsible for the robbery of a nearby hotel shortly after the shooting. A reward of up to $25,000 was offered for information leading to an arrest and indictment in the case.
Less than two months later, on October 6, 2016, the Prince George's County Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects in connection with Oduwole's murder. Deandre Davis, 20, of Clinton, and Duran Carrington, 20, of Washington D.C., were taken into custody. Investigators determined that Carrington shot Oduwole during the robbery attempt, while Davis acted as the getaway driver. Carrington later admitted to shooting the victim. Both men were charged with first-degree murder, armed robbery, and related charges for both the 7-Eleven incident and the subsequent hotel robbery.
