In the early hours of Monday, December 21, 2015, a violent encounter in a Pittsburgh apartment claimed three lives, including that of 25-year-old Kadeem Williams. The incident unfolded around midnight in the Bloomfield neighborhood, where Williams, a resident of the Homestead area, forced his way into a first-floor apartment on South Mathilda Street through a window.
What transpired next was a chaotic exchange of gunfire that left a trail of devastation.
Inside the apartment lived Meiko Devaughn, his housemate Akeilah Solomon, age 20, and visiting that night was Devaughn's 16-year-old brother, Jaimill Kenney. Authorities believe Williams entered the apartment with the intent to rob Devaughn, who was known to be involved in the drug trade. A gun battle erupted between Williams and Devaughn. In the exchange of fire, Williams was fatally wounded, as were Solomon and Kenney. Williams managed to flee the apartment but collapsed and died behind the building from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The investigation into the deadly shooting revealed a complex situation. While Meiko Devaughn had fired the shots that killed all three individuals, the Allegheny County District Attorney's office determined that he had acted in self-defense against Williams, the intruder, under the state's 'castle doctrine.' Consequently, Devaughn was not charged with homicide for any of the three deaths. However, the investigation did lead to other serious charges against him.
Due to a prior juvenile record that included robbery and aggravated assault, it was illegal for Devaughn to own a firearm. The gun he used in the shooting had also been reported stolen. Furthermore, a search of his apartment uncovered a significant amount of marijuana and approximately $14,000 in cash. As a result, Devaughn faced charges of illegal possession of a firearm, receiving stolen property, and drug possession. While he was not held criminally responsible for the deaths, the tragic events of that night led to his arrest and subsequent legal troubles.
