In the winter of 2019, the life of 30-year-old Trevor L. Reed, a white male from Kingsport, Tennessee, was tragically cut short in a burst of violence that also claimed the life of his cousin, 27-year-old Shyane I. Bishop. The fatal incident unfolded on the evening of February 4, 2019, at the Stonecrest Apartments on Stonegate Road.
Kingsport police officers responded to a report of a shooting at the apartment complex around 5:45 PM.
Upon their arrival, they discovered Reed and Bishop with life-threatening gunshot wounds. Both were rushed to Holston Valley Medical Center for emergency medical attention. Reed succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. Bishop, a Black female, fought for her life but tragically passed away the following day.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly identified two suspects: 19-year-old Joseph Dale Clark II, of Bald Knob, Arkansas, and 22-year-old Alexander M. Hamilton of Kingsport. Authorities indicated that the shooting was not a random act and that the victims and suspects were acquainted. Warrants for the arrest of Clark and Hamilton were issued, initially charging them with second-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder while Bishop was still on life support.
The two suspects fled the area after the shooting, prompting a manhunt. They were apprehended in Adair County, Kentucky, on the evening of February 5, 2019, and were subsequently extradited back to Tennessee to face the charges against them. Following Bishop's death, the charges were expected to be amended.
In December 2023, both Joseph Dale Clark II and Alexander M. Hamilton appeared in Sullivan County Criminal Court and entered into a plea agreement. They pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of Trevor Reed and Shyane Bishop. As a result of their pleas, each man was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Under the terms of the agreement, they are required to serve 20 years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections, with the remaining 10 years to be served on supervised probation.
