On a Saturday evening in Duquesne, Pennsylvania, 21-year-old Damont Lewis Adams was fatally shot in the head. The incident, which occurred on March 13, 2021, in the 500 block of Ferndale Avenue, was the tragic result of a planned robbery. Adams, a hardworking employee at a local Family Dollar, was known for his happy demeanor and the love he had for his family.
The investigation into his death revealed a plot orchestrated by two 14-year-old boys, Tyion Simmons-McClain, who was Adams's cousin, and Carlo Owens. The teenagers allegedly concocted a plan to rob Adams of marijuana. Using Simmons-McClain's Facebook account, Owens reportedly arranged to meet Adams under the pretense of buying the drugs. During the arranged meeting, Simmons-McClain handed Adams a piece of paper, pretending it was money. When Adams realized he had been deceived and called out, Owens emerged from a hiding spot and shot him. After the shooting, the two teenagers allegedly took the marijuana and fled the scene. Investigators later found a red shirt that Owens had discarded, and DNA on it matched him.
The Allegheny County Police homicide detectives quickly began an investigation, leading to the arrest of Simmons-McClain on June 10, 2021. An arrest warrant was issued for Carlo Owens, who was described as a Black male, 5 feet 8 inches tall, and weighing 180 pounds. He turned himself in to the police on July 24, 2021. Both teenagers were charged with homicide, robbery, and conspiracy. In a later development, a judge granted a request to move Owens's case to juvenile court, a decision that was met with dismay by Adams's family.
