A promising young life was tragically cut short on a late summer evening in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, leaving a community in mourning and a family searching for answers. Michael Roper, a 19-year-old man and a former football standout at Oakland High School, was fatally shot on the night of September 1, 2018. The incident, which also left another individual, Jaylan Locklayer, wounded, unfolded at a residence on North Maney Avenue, shaking the neighborhood to its core. Emergency services were called to the scene just after 11 p.m., where they discovered the two victims of the double shooting. Roper was rushed to St. Thomas Rutherford Hospital, but tragically, his injuries proved to be fatal.
The investigation into the senseless act of violence led Murfreesboro Police to a suspect, De'airedale Gleaves. The motive for the shooting, as it would later emerge, was rooted in a dispute over a video game controller. This trivial disagreement escalated to a devastating climax, forever altering the lives of all involved. The ensuing legal process brought the case to a Rutherford County courtroom, where the details of that fateful night were laid bare. The trial was an emotional ordeal for Roper's family, who attended each day, seeking justice for their loved one.
In September 2021, a jury found De'airedale Gleaves guilty on a total of eight charges related to the shooting. These convictions included the second-degree murder of Michael Roper, attempted second-degree murder for the injuries sustained by Jaylan Locklayer, and six counts of reckless endangerment. For his crimes, Gleaves was sentenced to a total of 40 years in prison. The verdict and sentencing brought a measure of closure to Michael Roper's grieving family, though the pain of their loss endures. His mother has since become an advocate against gun violence, speaking out to prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy.
