Javon Malik Brown, a 23-year-old Black man with a passion for performance and a deep Christian faith, was remembered by friends and family as a person who could always turn a bad situation good. Growing up in Asheville, North Carolina, Javon was active in his church, where he sang, danced, and acted in plays. His energy on stage was infectious, leading him to join the International Thespian Society at Enka High School and later perform in community theater productions of "Footloose" and "The
Wizard of Oz." After studying culinary arts for a year, he also developed a love for cooking. His mother, Clarenda Alston, said he had a zest for life and helping others, once leaving a message for a friend that saved him from suicide. Javon dreamed of having a family and a home with a white picket fence.
On the evening of May 8, 2020, Javon spent time with his mother before going out. Around 9:15 p.m., he and another young man, 19-year-old Deonte James Ellison, were inside a vehicle in the parking lot of a Wendy’s restaurant on Merrimon Avenue. Police reported that a dispute occurred before shots were fired from inside the car. Javon was found in the parking lot suffering from multiple gunshot wounds and died at the scene. A short time later, officers located a crashed vehicle near the intersection of Merrimon Avenue and Chestnut Street. Deonte was found inside and was transported to Mission Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The Asheville Police Department began investigating the double homicide, initially identifying two persons of interest who had reportedly fled from the crashed vehicle. The investigation led to two arrests later that month. On May 18, authorities announced that a juvenile had been charged with accessory after the fact to first-degree murder. Three days later, on May 21, police arrested 18-year-old Amar Colia Clark in south Asheville without incident.
Amar Clark was charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the deaths of both Javon Brown and Deonte Ellison. He was held in the Buncombe County Detention Center under no bond. In July 2020, a Buncombe County grand jury indicted Clark on first-degree murder charges for the two deaths. As of that month, the case was proceeding through the legal system. Javon’s mother later recalled receiving the phone call from his girlfriend that night, telling her he had been shot. She said her faith helped her navigate the grief, believing that her son was in the arms of God when he took his last breath.
