In the early hours of Sunday, March 8, 2026, the city of New Bern recorded its first homicide of the year with the death of 31-year-old LaMark Lucky Simmons. The incident unfolded around 1:30 a.m. at the intersection of Kramer Drive and Kmer Street, where officers, responding to a shot spotter alert, found Simmons suffering from a gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to Carolina East Medical Center, but succumbed to his injuries.
Known in his community as "Lucky," Simmons' death prompted an immediate and active investigation by the New Bern Police Department. Authorities have characterized the shooting as an isolated event. In the days following the incident, law enforcement made two arrests in connection with the killing.
Yosua Dyer, 26, was the first to be taken into custody and charged with accessory after the fact. Subsequently, police arrested a second suspect, 26-year-old DeQuante Berry, who faces a charge of first-degree murder. Berry was being held at the Craven County Jail without bond. While arrests have been made, the police have not released a motive for the shooting.
