On what should have been a joyous occasion, the celebration of his 26th birthday, Deshawn McDonald, a Black/African American male, met a tragic and violent end on August 21, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona. Known in the local music scene as the rapper D Mac Deluxx, he was out with friends at a nightclub near Interstate 17 and McDowell Road, marking another year of life.
For reasons that remain unclear, Deshawn decided to step outside the lively atmosphere of the club.
Shortly after his departure, the sound of gunshots pierced the night air in the parking lot. His friends and other patrons, drawn by the alarming noise, began to search the area. The search concluded with a grim discovery; Deshawn's body was found in some bushes near the adjacent Knight's Inn hotel. He had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The ensuing investigation by Phoenix police uncovered a story that began to emerge from the shadows of that night. It was revealed that Deshawn had entered a black Mercedes with two men before the fatal shots were fired. His brother, who was also present for the birthday celebration, recalled Deshawn saying he would be right back, a promise he was unable to keep. The investigation pointed to a prearranged meeting, a drug deal that had been brokered by a woman, though no drugs were found at the scene.
A crucial piece of evidence, a cell phone that did not belong to Deshawn, was recovered from the crime scene. A fingerprint lifted from the phone led investigators to identify one of the suspects. Through this lead and further investigation of phone records, the police identified two men: 33-year-old Frederick Jerome Hill and 28-year-old Brian Darrell Holmes. According to police, a fight broke out between Deshawn and the two men, which culminated in Deshawn being shot twice. Both Hill and Holmes were subsequently charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery as authorities began their search for the two suspects.
