Keshawndrae Carter, a 19-year-old male from Lorain, Ohio, tragically lost his life on July 2, 2017. He was shot and killed shortly after leaving a church service. Carter was on his way home when he was approached and shot by an unknown assailant while asking someone if they would like to attend a family barbecue. The incident occurred on Beech Avenue near West 22nd Street.
The Lorain Police Department swiftly launched an investigation into Carter's death. Within days, the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force arrested Gevonte Thomas, a 22-year-old from Lorain, in connection with the murder. Thomas was taken into custody at the Lorain County Criminal Justice Center while attending a sentencing hearing for an unrelated case. He was charged with Carter's murder and held without bond pending his arraignment.
The case proceeded through the legal system, and in 2019, Thomas was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter, discharging a firearm on or near a prohibited premises, two counts of felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and weapons under disability. During the sentencing, Carter's mother, Cassandra Marr, addressed the court, expressing her grief and emphasizing that her son's death was senseless and had no justification.
The tragic loss of Keshawndrae Carter deeply affected his family and community, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew him. His mother, Cassandra Marr, and his father, Donald Carter, along with his siblings and extended family, continue to honor his memory and seek justice for his untimely death.
