Robert Jermaine Thomas, a 44-year-old man from Salisbury, North Carolina, lost his life to gunfire in the early morning hours of Saturday, October 17, 2026. His death stemmed from an altercation at a party that quickly turned fatal, leading to a swift, multi-agency investigation that spanned several cities and resulted in an arrest the same day.
The incident unfolded in Lexington, North Carolina, at a large party held at a location on South Talbert Boulevard.
At approximately 1:23 a.m., the Lexington Police Department received a call reporting a shooting at the 1000 block of the boulevard. When officers arrived, they found a chaotic scene and located Robert Thomas suffering from injuries consistent with gunshot wounds. The officers immediately began rendering emergency medical aid until paramedics arrived. Thomas was rushed to Lexington Medical Center, but his injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced deceased at the hospital.
Investigators quickly determined that a fight had broken out among attendees at the party, which escalated into an exchange of gunfire. As detectives began piecing together the events, they identified a suspect and a crucial piece of missing evidence: Thomas’s own vehicle, a 2011 Cadillac Escalade, was gone from the scene. Police learned that the man they believed responsible for the shooting had fled in the Escalade.
The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Davonte Martese Kind of Thomasville. While Kind had managed to flee the party, he had not escaped unscathed. Investigators discovered that he had also been shot during the altercation. Rather than seeking help from authorities, Kind was driven by a private vehicle to Duke University Hospital in Durham for treatment of his gunshot wound. Meanwhile, law enforcement located Robert Thomas’s stolen Cadillac Escalade, which had been left in Thomasville.
Detectives from the Lexington Police Department coordinated with the Durham Police Department and staff at Duke University Hospital. After Kind was medically evaluated and cleared by hospital personnel, he was taken into custody at 12:45 p.m. that same day, less than twelve hours after the shooting. The investigation required detectives to process multiple crime scenes in both Lexington and Thomasville to gather and analyze evidence.
Davonte Martese Kind was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with the death of Robert Thomas. The Lexington Police Department publicly acknowledged the critical assistance they received from numerous other agencies, including the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, the Thomasville Police Department, the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office, the Davidson County District Attorney’s Office, and the Durham Police Department.
As of October 2026, the case against Kind was entering the judicial process. Investigators stated that the investigation remained active and ongoing as they worked to process all collected evidence and determine if any other individuals were involved in the fatal altercation. Authorities have asked that anyone with information about the incident contact the Lexington Police Department at 336-243-3302 or submit an anonymous tip to Lexington Crimestoppers at 336-243-2400.
