In the early morning hours of Thursday, March 30, 2023, a fatal encounter in Dothan, Alabama, cut short the life of 51-year-old Roger Shane Felder. The male victim found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, in the parking lot of the Pearl Lounge and Grill on Ross Clark Circle, where he would ultimately succumb to multiple gunshot wounds to his upper torso.
The tragic events of that night began to unfold inside the lounge with a verbal altercation that quickly escalated into a
physical fight. Felder, acting as a Good Samaritan, attempted to de-escalate the volatile situation. Employees of the establishment intervened and made the individuals involved leave the premises. However, the conflict was far from over. Once outside, the altercation continued, tragically culminating in the fatal shooting of Felder. Emergency services were called to the scene at approximately 1:20 AM. Upon arrival, Dothan Police officers discovered Felder lying in the parking lot. Dothan Fire and Rescue provided immediate medical attention and transported him to a local hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe.
The subsequent investigation by the Dothan Police Department led to the identification and arrest of three suspects. Raheem Anthony Powe, 29, of Abbeville, and Nakia Kentae Thompson, 27, of Dothan, were both charged with one count of murder. A third individual, 24-year-old Dekeivon O'Keith Lawton, was also charged in connection with Felder's death. Investigators identified Lawton as the individual who fired the fatal shot.
The legal process saw a resolution for two of the three men charged. In a turn of events, Raheem Powe pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless endangerment, a misdemeanor. Dekeivon O'Keith Lawton, however, faced a jury for his role in the murder. After a trial, he was found guilty, and a Houston County Circuit Judge sentenced him to serve 99 years in prison. As of the latest available information, Nakia Thompson is still awaiting trial on murder charges related to the incident.
