In the Frayser neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee, a tragic story unfolded on the evening of January 10, 2017, forever altering the lives of a local family. Devario Burks, a 25-year-old African-American male, was at the Creative Cuts Barber Shop on Frayser Boulevard when his life was cut short in a senseless act of violence. Remembered as a kind and young-hearted man with a passion for fixing cars, Burks was a father to a three-year-old daughter and was eagerly anticipating the birth of his
son.
That Tuesday evening, at approximately 8:00 p.m., two unidentified men approached the barbershop and opened fire into the establishment. The hail of bullets struck Burks, who was found by responding Memphis Police officers lying on the floor inside. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Another individual inside the barbershop was also wounded in the attack but survived their injuries. The two assailants fled the scene immediately after the shooting, disappearing into the night.
In the days that followed, friends and family gathered at a makeshift memorial outside the barbershop, grappling with the sudden and violent loss of a man described as a good person and the life of the party. While rumors circulated that the incident may have stemmed from an altercation at a nearby McDonald's, this was never confirmed by law enforcement. Authorities urged the public to come forward with any information that could lead to the capture of the two men responsible for Burks's death.
Despite the initial investigation and pleas for information from the community, the case of Devario Burks's murder remains unsolved. The two male suspects have never been publicly identified, and no arrests have been made in connection with the shooting. The investigation into the death of the young father remains ongoing, leaving his family and community still waiting for justice.
