In the spring of 2014, the life of a 42-year-old Black / African American man named Yusef A'Vant was tragically cut short in a brazen act of violence. On the afternoon of April 13, 2014, A'Vant was at his place of business, the Krazy Kuts barbershop in East Providence, Rhode Island, attending to a customer. The quiet afternoon was shattered when a man, later identified as Thomas Mosely, entered the barbershop brandishing a silver revolver.
Mosely ordered the lone customer to the floor
before confronting A'Vant. A brief struggle ensued, culminating in Mosely shooting A'Vant in the abdomen. After the single, fatal shot was fired, Mosely fled the scene, leaving A'Vant gravely wounded. The customer who witnessed the shocking event ran across the street to get help. Emergency responders rushed A'Vant to the hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving.
The investigation into Yusef A'Vant's murder was a lengthy and complex undertaking led by the East Providence Police Department with assistance from Providence Police and the Rhode Island State Police. For over a year, detectives worked to piece together the evidence. A significant breakthrough came with the arrest of Thomas Mosely in July 2015. The investigation further revealed that Mosely did not act alone. Two other men were implicated in the crime: Evan Watson and Derek Winslow.
Evan Watson's role in the murder was that of the getaway driver and the provider of the murder weapon. In October 2016, Watson pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of a firearm without a license. In January 2024, he was sentenced to 28 years in prison for his involvement. Thomas Mosely, the man who pulled the trigger, faced a jury for his crimes. After an initial trial in 2019 ended in a mistrial on the murder charge, a second trial in February 2020 found him guilty of second-degree murder and discharging a firearm resulting in death. He was subsequently sentenced to two consecutive life sentences. The third suspect, Derek Winslow, was indicted in August 2022 on charges of murder and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence for his alleged role in the killing of Yusef A'Vant. He has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
