In the late summer of 2023, a dispute between neighbors in a Huntsville, Alabama, apartment complex escalated into a tragedy that claimed the lives of two young women. The victims were 24-year-old D'Asia Monique Morris and 20-year-old Sequoiya Mone'e Lamar. The two women, who were in a relationship and known for sharing their lives on social media, were shot and killed on August 29, 2023, following an argument with their neighbor.
The conflict reportedly began over slashed tires.
Morris had texted her landlord shortly before the shooting to complain about a neighbor who had tampered with her tires. This neighbor was identified as Tye'Deshun Stevens, 23, of Huntsville. The verbal altercation that preceded the shooting was partially recorded on video by one of the victims. The footage reportedly shows the women yelling at Stevens before the phone drops and multiple gunshots are heard. In total, the two women sustained 13 gunshot wounds.
Following the shooting, a manhunt for Stevens was initiated, with law enforcement believing he may have fled to Anniston, Alabama, or Columbia, South Carolina. On September 6, 2023, the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended Stevens in Anniston. He was taken into custody without incident and transported back to Madison County, where he was booked on two counts of capital murder.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Stevens' attorneys claimed he acted in self-defense. During an immunity hearing in February 2026, Stevens testified that the women had verbally threatened him and that one had pepper spray in her hand as they approached him, leaving him with what he claimed was 'no other option' but to fire his weapon. However, prosecutors argued that the force used was not justified and presented testimony from a witness who claimed to have seen Stevens shoot each victim again after they were already on the ground. A judge ultimately denied Stevens' request for immunity, clearing the way for a trial. Stevens has been repeatedly denied bail and prosecutors have stated their intention to seek the death penalty. The trial is scheduled to begin on August 17, 2026.
