On a summer evening in Mobile, Alabama, the life of 21-year-old Deangelo Nisby Jr. was tragically cut short. On July 3, 2020, Nisby was in the rear parking lot of the Phlawless II Hair Salon on Saint Stephens Road when he was fatally shot. The male victim was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased at the scene by responding police officers who arrived around 7:34 p.m.
The investigation into the homicide led to the arrests of two individuals.
In a tragic turn of events, it was revealed that the shooting was not a random act of violence. Authorities identified Dion McCants as the gunman and Patricia Jones as his accomplice. The motive for the killing appeared to be rooted in a dispute over money owed to a drug dealer.
According to prosecutors, McCants was solicited by a drug dealer to kill Nisby. In a chillingly short amount of time, McCants allegedly agreed to the arrangement. He and Jones then went to a gas station looking for drugs before proceeding to the hair salon. There, McCants opened fire, discharging his weapon nine times and striking Nisby once.
In April 2023, a jury found Dion McCants guilty of the murder of Deangelo Nisby Jr. During the sentencing, the judge described the act as a 'cold-blooded killing' and handed down a life sentence. Despite having no prior felony convictions, McCants will be required to serve a minimum of 15 years before he is eligible for parole. His co-defendant, Patricia Jones, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of hindering prosecution and provided testimony against McCants. While the drug dealer who allegedly ordered the killing was not charged due to a lack of sufficient evidence, the convictions of McCants and Jones brought a measure of justice for the family of Deangelo Nisby Jr.
