In the quiet town of Milan, Tennessee, the evening of September 26, 2017, was shattered by the sound of gunfire that would irrevocably alter the lives of two families. Deairrious D. 'DeDe' Young, a 20-year-old African American male, was fatally shot outside an apartment complex in the Meadows of Milan. A second victim, 19-year-old Troy A. 'Tuman' Whitmore II, was also critically injured in the attack and succumbed to his injuries shortly after being transported to the Milan Emergency Room. Young was pronounced dead at the scene of the shooting.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly pointed to two suspects, both 17-year-old students at Milan High School. Antonio Turner and Justice Walton were identified as the individuals responsible for the ambush. Turner later confessed to firing the shots that killed both Young and Whitmore. The motive for the violent act was believed to be retaliation for a robbery or an altercation that had occurred earlier in the day. The Milan Police Department had received multiple calls reporting shots fired throughout the night, indicating a climate of escalating tension leading up to the fatal encounter.
In the wake of the tragedy, the community of Milan was left in shock, as it had been several years since a double homicide had occurred in the city. The U.S. Marshals joined local law enforcement in a concerted effort to apprehend the suspects. Following their arrests, both Antonio Turner and Justice Walton were charged with two counts of first-degree murder. The case then moved to the judicial system to seek justice for Deairrious Young and Troy Whitmore, two young lives cut short by violence.
