Seth Joseph Stephens, a 28-year-old White man, was working at the New King Mao restaurant in Clarksville, Tennessee, on the morning of December 2, 2020, when his life was tragically cut short. He was in the midst of his workday when a man entered the establishment, brandished a weapon, and demanded money. When Stephens did not comply with the robber's demands, he was shot multiple times. Emergency services were called to the scene at 210 Needmore Road, and Stephens was rushed to a local hospital, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation into the shooting was immediately launched by the Clarksville Police Department's Special Operations Homicide Unit. For nearly two years, detectives worked to identify a suspect in the fatal shooting. Their investigation, with assistance from the Joliet Police Department in Illinois, eventually led them to identify Jaelyn Deon Gant as the man responsible for Stephens' death. At the time he was identified as the suspect, Gant was already in custody in Illinois on unrelated charges.
In September 2021, the case was presented to the Montgomery County Grand Jury, which returned an indictment for Gant on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree murder in perpetration of a crime, especially aggravated robbery, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon. Following the indictment, Gant was extradited from the Western Illinois Correctional Center to Montgomery County, where he was served with the indictments. The trial concluded with Gant's conviction on charges of first-degree murder while perpetrating a robbery, second-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, and unlawful possession of a firearm while being a felon. For his crimes, Jaelyn Deon Gant was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 25 years.
