On a cold December evening in Omaha, Nebraska, the life of 22-year-old Destacia Straughn, a Black/African American female, was tragically cut short. On December 6, 2015, a violent outburst shattered the quiet of the Bluffs at Cherry Hills Apartments. That Sunday night, gunfire erupted, striking five people within one of the residences. Straughn and her two-year-old daughter, Kenacia Amerson-Straughn, were killed at the scene.
Three other women, identified as 18-year-old Jamie Latner, 21-year-old Larrion Williams, and 22-year-old Kachelle Roby, were wounded in the attack and subsequently transported to area hospitals for treatment.
In the immediate aftermath, investigators quickly identified 23-year-old Dontevous Loyd as the primary suspect in the deadly shooting. Authorities reported that Loyd had forcibly entered the apartment by kicking in the door before opening fire on the occupants. A citywide search for Loyd was initiated, culminating in his surrender to law enforcement on December 8, 2015. He was met with a litany of charges, including two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Destacia and her young daughter, and three counts of attempted murder for the injuries sustained by the other three women present.
The legal proceedings against Dontevous Loyd concluded in 2017 when a Douglas County judge found him guilty of the charges brought against him. As a result of his conviction, Loyd was sentenced to two consecutive life terms in prison for the murders, ensuring he would spend the remainder of his life incarcerated. He also received additional prison time for the attempted murder convictions. During the investigation, it came to light that Omaha police officers had been in contact with Loyd just hours before the fatal shooting in response to a 911 call from the apartment. An internal investigation later found that the responding officers had violated a department policy during their welfare check and they were subsequently disciplined.
