On November 16, 2018, 18-year-old Zykari Rhone, a young African American male, was tragically shot and killed in Durham, North Carolina. The incident occurred around 10:30 p.m. in the 600 block of Dowd Street. Officers responded to a "shots fired" call and found Rhone lying outside. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation revealed that Rhone had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Following an extensive investigation, four men were indicted and arrested for their
involvement in the murder of Zykari Rhone. Ricky Shyiem Kashan Barfield, 25, was arrested on August 21, 2019, on charges of murder, felony conspiracy, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of cocaine with the intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver. He was also charged with a felony probation violation in September 2019. Robert Louis Pridgen Jr., 28, was arrested on September 11, 2019, on charges of murder and a misdemeanor probation violation. Ortez Lavelle Richardson, 25, was arrested on October 11, 2019, on charges of murder, possession of a stolen firearm, assault with a deadly weapon on a government official, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and misdemeanor larceny. Troy Lekemn Howard, 18, was arrested on October 18, 2019, on charges of murder and failure to appear in court on an earlier felony drug charge.
The suspects and the victim were known to each other, and the motive behind the shooting is believed to be related to prior conflicts. The four men were placed in Durham County Jail without bond, and investigators continued to search for a fifth person involved in the case. The arrests and subsequent legal proceedings brought some measure of justice to the family and friends of Zykari Rhone, who mourned the loss of a young life cut short by violence.
