Shaolyn Lareese Godley, a 20-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on March 1, 2021, in Greenville, North Carolina. On that fateful day, deputies from the Pitt County Sheriff's Office responded to a report of gunshots fired on U.S. Highway 264. Upon arrival, they found Shaolyn Godley suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. He was immediately transported to Vidant Medical Center, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation revealed that Shaolyn Godley, along with two other individuals, were passengers in a gray Pontiac Grand Am. They were targeted and shot at by the occupants of another vehicle, leading to the fatal incident.
Following the incident, the Pitt County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit launched an investigation. On March 5, 2021, detectives obtained warrants for the arrest of two suspects: 19-year-old Deshawn Bryant and 21-year-old Jyjuan Crawford, also known as Jyjuan Barr, both from Greenville. The suspects were located and taken into custody by the Alpharetta, Georgia, Police Department on March 6, 2021. They were subsequently extradited back to Pitt County, where they faced multiple charges, including two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and shooting into an occupied vehicle. Both suspects were held in the Pitt County Detention Center, with Bryant receiving a $3.715 million bond and Crawford a $3.7 million bond.
The investigation into Shaolyn Godley's death revealed that the incident was not a random act of violence. Witness statements indicated that the victims were specifically targeted. The case garnered significant attention, and law enforcement agencies continued to seek information from the public to aid in the ongoing investigation. The tragic loss of Shaolyn Godley left a profound impact on his family, friends, and the Greenville community, as they mourned the untimely death of a young man whose life was cut short by senseless violence.
