On New Year's Eve 2021, the life of 29-year-old Terrel Lamar Kemp, an African American male, was tragically cut short in his Knoxville, Tennessee, home. Kemp was a devoted father to his four children, and the fatal incident unfolded in the presence of his four-year-old son. The man responsible for his death was D'tearius Carvell Southern, the ex-boyfriend of Kemp's girlfriend at the time, Gabriela Minor.
The tragic chain of events began when Minor invited Southern to Kemp's residence on
Countryhill Lane. The stated reason for his presence was to assist with their son's behavioral issues. However, the situation escalated into a physical altercation between Kemp and Southern. During this confrontation, Southern produced a firearm and shot Kemp. Following the shooting, Southern fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
Knoxville Police Department investigators quickly identified the 27-year-old Southern as the suspect and issued warrants for his arrest on charges of first-degree murder, being a convicted felon in possession of a weapon, and aggravated assault. The aggravated assault charge stemmed from allegations that he also assaulted and threatened to kill a woman who tried to intervene in the altercation.
In January 2023, D'tearius Carvell Southern stood trial for the killing of Terrel Lamar Kemp. He was ultimately convicted of second-degree murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. The court imposed an effective sentence of twenty-three years in confinement. Southern later appealed his conviction, arguing that the evidence was insufficient and that he had no duty to retreat before using deadly force. However, the appellate court affirmed the trial court's judgments, ensuring that he would serve his sentence for the death of Terrel Kemp.
