Cykera Wright, an 18-year-old college student from Boynton Beach, Florida, tragically lost her life on January 31, 2020. Wright, who was home on break from Warner University in Lake Wales, was fatally shot while riding in a car with friends. The incident occurred on the 2000 block of Northeast First Court, near Gateway and Seacrest boulevards. Wright, an Atlantic High School graduate, was studying social work and working at a local fashion retail store to save money for a car to return to
college that spring. The shooting left her family and community devastated, as they remembered her as a bright and ambitious young woman with a promising future.
The investigation into Wright's death led to the indictment of two men, Keion Tyson and Javarous Finklea. Initially, both men faced charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder. Tyson, 29, and Finklea, 23, were accused of opening fire on the car in which Wright and her friends were traveling. The grand jury indictment did not specify a motive or indicate whether Wright was the intended target. Both men were also charged with discharging a firearm from a vehicle and being felons in possession of a weapon. The attack resulted in multiple injuries, with five other individuals wounded in the shooting.
In a significant development, both Tyson and Finklea later pleaded guilty to lesser charges. They each entered pleas to one count of manslaughter with a firearm and being felons in possession of a firearm, along with four counts of attempted manslaughter. Circuit Judge Sarah Willis sentenced both men to 10 years in prison for each count, to be served concurrently. The judge also recommended that the state Department of Corrections house them in a facility near Palm Beach County. This resolution brought some measure of justice for Wright's family, though the pain of her loss remains.
Throughout the legal proceedings, the community and Wright's family sought answers and justice for the senseless act of violence that claimed her life. The case highlighted the ongoing issue of gun violence and its devastating impact on families and communities. Wright's death serves as a poignant reminder of the need for continued efforts to address and prevent such tragedies.
