Antonio Lorenzo Hines, an 18-year-old African American male, tragically lost his life on June 26, 2016, in Kinston, North Carolina. Hines was found dead in the parking lot of Westside Free Will Baptist Church, having suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The incident occurred around 5:15 p.m. when Kinston Police responded to a shots fired call at the church. Upon arrival, officers discovered Hines' lifeless body behind the church.
Hines was a rising senior at Kinston High School, known for his musical talents, playing the synar, drum set, and piano. He had aspirations of joining the Marines and leaving Kinston to pursue a positive path in life.
In the aftermath of Hines' death, the Kinston Police Department launched an investigation that led to the arrest of four suspects. Thomas Maurice Bullock, a 20-year-old African American male, and Tyrek Rashaad Leach, a 17-year-old African American male, were apprehended early Monday morning at a residence on Fairfax Drive. Both individuals were charged with the murder of Antonio Lorenzo Hines and placed in the Lenoir County Jail under no bond. The investigation continued, and police issued warrants for the arrest of two additional suspects, Jaquel Daquan Lawson, a 20-year-old African American male, and Christopher Daquonne Hembry, a 19-year-old African American male. Lawson and Hembry were eventually apprehended and charged with an open count of murder.
The motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and the investigation into Hines' death is ongoing. Hines' family and friends remember him as a talented musician and a young man with a bright future ahead of him. His untimely death has left a void in the community, and his loved ones continue to seek justice for the loss of Antonio Lorenzo Hines.
