In the summer of 2024, a sweet and loving sixteen-year-old girl named DeMylah Delyric Nixon-Johnson had her life tragically cut short. On the evening of July 24th, DeMylah was at a party in Sheffield, Alabama, when gunfire erupted. Responding officers discovered the teenager lying in the grass with a gunshot wound between her shoulder blades. It is believed that she was not the intended target of what appeared to be a drive-by shooting.
DeMylah, a student at Florence High School, was
known for her hardworking nature, having recently started a job in the food industry and being excited about her first paycheck. She enjoyed spending time with friends, attending football games, and having long talks with her mother. Her family and friends remember her as a loving daughter, sister, and friend who was taken from them too soon.
In the days following the shooting, the Sheffield Police Department identified eighteen-year-old Larmarion Nizer Bethany, also known as 'Ghost,' as the suspect in DeMylah's murder. An arrest warrant was issued, and Bethany was considered armed and dangerous. On August 6, 2024, Larmarion Bethany turned himself in to the Sheffield Police Department, accompanied by his family.
Bethany has been charged with the murder of DeMylah Nixon-Johnson. He was denied youthful offender status, meaning he will be tried as an adult for the crime. His trial was scheduled to begin on August 18, 2025. He is currently being held without bond in the Colbert County Jail. Investigators believe Bethany acted alone in the shooting.
