On a summer evening in Sylacauga, Alabama, the life of Ja'Drean Mandrell Dykes was tragically cut short. The 20-year-old Black man was fatally shot on Friday, July 29, 2022. His death marked the city's second homicide of that year.
The Sylacauga Police Department responded to reports of shots fired in the Drew Court Housing Community on Inglewood Drive at approximately 8:30 p.m. As officers arrived, residents waved them toward the area of North Main Avenue and Sherwood Drive.
There, police found Dykes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
In the wake of the shooting, the Sylacauga Police Department launched a homicide investigation. Investigators interviewed family members and witnesses as they worked to develop leads and identify those responsible for his death.
As of July 2022, no arrests had been made, and no suspects had been publicly identified. The case remains unsolved. Authorities have asked anyone with information about the crime to call the Sylacauga Police Department at 256-267-0090 or 256-401-2464.
