In the winter of 2025, a tragedy unfolded in South Memphis that cut short the life of 17-year-old Adrien Prewitt. On the evening of February 2nd, police responded to a call on LaPaloma Street, where they found the young Black male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene. What initially appeared to be a straightforward shooting soon revealed a more complex and calculated plot.
Investigators discovered that Prewitt's death was the result of a robbery that had been orchestrated by people he knew. According to court records, a young woman named Machaela Shelton was visiting the house where Prewitt was. While there, she was allegedly in communication with an individual identified as 'Dee,' sending text messages that detailed the number of people in the residence and their belongings. A plan was hatched to lure Prewitt out of the house under the guise of going to a store.
Shelton, Prewitt, and another woman made their way outside to a car. Shelton exited the house first, and when Prewitt followed, he was met with a hail of gunfire. Witnesses at the scene reported seeing two men standing near Prewitt after the shots were fired. One of the men was seen taking Prewitt's own firearm before they both fled the area.
The investigation quickly led to the identification and arrest of the key players involved. 'Dee' was identified as Darreone McDowell, who later told authorities that the plan to rob Prewitt was devised by Shelton. It was also revealed that Shelton's ex-boyfriend, D'Andre Ashby, had his own motive for the robbery; he allegedly wanted to steal Prewitt's gun. Both Machaela Shelton, 19, and Darreone McDowell, 19, were arrested and subsequently faced charges including first-degree murder. The third suspect, D'Andre Ashby, 23, who was identified as the second shooter, was apprehended on December 11, 2025, in Horn Lake, Mississippi, by the Memphis Safe Task Force. With the arrest of all three suspects, the family of Adrien Prewitt was left to mourn the senseless loss of a young life, taken too soon by a treacherous plot.
