Dontrell Warren, a 21-year-old African American male, was tragically shot and killed on October 18, 2017, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. According to reports, Warren was walking up the steps to his family's front porch on E. 23rd Street when he was shot four times in the back. His mother, Antoinette Warren, recounted the harrowing moment she tried to reach her son but was stopped by her other child due to the ongoing gunfire.
The incident left the family devastated, with Antoinette expressing the profound unfairness of losing her son at such a young age.
The investigation into Dontrell Warren's death continued for several years. On March 16, 2023, a breakthrough occurred when the Winston-Salem Police Department obtained a warrant for the arrest of Daquan Cates, a 25-year-old male. Cates was taken into custody by the Creedmoor Police Department in Granville County, North Carolina, and subsequently transferred to Forsyth County custody. He was charged with murder and held without bond.
Further developments in the case revealed that Daquan Cates had attempted to rob Dontrell Warren on the night of the shooting. Warren was returning home from a convenience store with a friend when the incident occurred. Cates, armed with a rifle, shot Warren three times in the back before fleeing the scene. Warren was taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. The case was a significant blow to the Warren family, who described Dontrell as a loving son, dedicated father, and a light in their lives.
In April 2024, Daquan Cates was sentenced to 22.5 to 27.5 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder charges in Forsyth County Court. The sentencing brought some measure of closure to the Warren family, although the pain of their loss remained. Dontrell Warren's mother and sister spoke in court about the impact of his death, highlighting his kindness, sense of humor, and dedication to his family. The family hoped that Warren's young daughter, who was just two years old at the time of his death, would remember the positive aspects of her father's life.
