In the late hours of a summer evening in Washington, Georgia, a domestic turmoil simmering with jealousy and resentment reached its tragic conclusion, leaving 44-year-old Frederick Deon Cade dead. The male victim was discovered deceased on Peachtree Street in the early morning of August 14, 2017, the victim of a fatal shooting.
The investigation into Cade's death quickly revealed a volatile web of relationships. Cade's marriage to Shakevia Graves was fraught with conflict, often leading to physical altercations and Shakevia seeking refuge at her grandparents' home. Adding to the tension was Shakevia's connection to Richard Stroud, Jr., the father of her eight-year-old son. There was 'bad blood' between Cade and Stroud, fueled by Cade's jealousy and his frustration over what he perceived as Stroud's failure to financially support his child.
On the night of the murder, the escalating tensions boiled over. Cade had been arguing with Shakevia, who was staying at her grandparents' house with her twin sister, Shanevia 'NeNe' Graves. Later that evening, Shakevia and NeNe encountered Cade's truck while they were out. A brief car chase ensued, ending back at the grandparents' residence. After Cade drove away, NeNe called her long-term boyfriend, 30-year-old Jarvis Lamont Milton, to the house. Stroud then drove Milton to the residence.
Not long after Milton and Stroud arrived, Cade returned to the scene. An argument and a physical altercation broke out between Cade and the two men. During the confrontation, a gunshot was fired. The medical examiner would later testify that it was likely a single bullet that struck Cade's right arm before entering his torso, hitting his lung and heart, and causing massive hemorrhaging that led to his death. Following the shooting, Milton and Stroud fled the scene with NeNe, leaving Cade behind.
The investigation led by the Wilkes County Sheriff's Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation swiftly identified the suspects. By 11:00 a.m. on August 14, arrest warrants were issued for Jarvis Lamont Milton. He was apprehended without incident later that afternoon on Sharon Road in Washington and transported to the Wilkes County Jail. Both Milton and Richard Stroud, Jr., were subsequently indicted on multiple charges, including murder.
In May 2019, a jury found Jarvis Lamont Milton guilty on all counts. He received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole for the murder of Frederick Deon Cade, with an additional five years for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Richard Stroud, Jr., was tried separately in November 2019. He was acquitted of malice murder but found guilty of felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The Supreme Court of Georgia later upheld the convictions for both men.
