Derrick Demont DeWalt, a 34-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on February 3, 2018, in Clemmons, North Carolina. Born on February 9, 1983, in Davie County, Derrick was the son of Darrell Dyson and Louise DeWalt. He attended Davie County Schools and later earned his GED. Derrick worked at Dominion Construction Company in Winston-Salem, NC, and had a passion for fashion, sports, and hairdressing.
On the morning of February 3, 2018, deputies responded to a call at 708
Frye Bridge Road in Davidson County, where they found Derrick DeWalt fatally shot in the chest. The investigation quickly identified Victor Manuel Cervantes-Ramirez, an 18-year-old male from North Wilkesboro, as the primary suspect. Cervantes-Ramirez was arrested at his mother's home in Wilkes County and charged with one count of murder and one count of attempted murder, as he was also accused of trying to kill a witness present at the scene.
The Davidson County District Attorney's Office and attorneys for Cervantes-Ramirez reached a plea agreement later that year. Cervantes-Ramirez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill. As a result, he was sentenced to 39 years in the Department of Corrections.
Derrick DeWalt's untimely death and the subsequent legal proceedings surrounding his case highlight the tragic consequences of violence and the impact it has on families and communities.
