In the early morning hours of March 6, 2023, the life of 10-year-old Damarion Quinn Webb Byrd, a Black male from Milledgeville, Georgia, was tragically cut short. Affectionately known as 'Marion' or 'Dam Jam,' he was a fifth-grade student at Midway Hills Academy, where he excelled in academics and was a member of the Junior Beta Club and the art club. A talented athlete, he shone on both the football field and the basketball court.
On that fateful night, Damarion was asleep in his bed in the single-wide mobile home he shared with his father on Harrisburg Road when the home was targeted in a hail of gunfire. At least one of the bullets fired from the woods outside penetrated the home and struck the sleeping child. He was rushed to Atrium Health Navicent Baldwin hospital, but was pronounced dead less than an hour after his arrival.
The senseless death of the promising young boy sent shockwaves through the community, leaving his family, friends, and classmates devastated. Hundreds gathered to mourn and remember a child described as a bright, unique, and loving soul who was protective of his family and never too cool to give a hug. His family remembered his infectious smile and his passion for life, noting he was a gift they were not prepared to lose. He was known for helping his father at his barbershop and was looking forward to being tested for his school's gifted program.
The investigation into Damarion’s death led to the arrest of four individuals. Authorities identified Rodracious Demaris Stephens, Shamonica Kiera Reaves, Charles Chavez Jackson Jr., and Jerrell Antwoin Stubbs as the suspects. While the motive for the shooting remained unclear, the Baldwin County Sheriff stated that the home had been intentionally targeted. The community reeled from the violence that had claimed the life of one of its youngest members.
In the ensuing legal process, two of the co-defendants, Charles Jackson Jr. and Jerrell Stubbs, accepted plea deals. Both pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated assault. Stubbs was sentenced to 20 years, with the first four years to be served in confinement. The remaining two defendants, Rodracious Stephens and Shamonica Reaves, maintained their innocence. Their case went to a murder trial scheduled for April 2025. After two years, a Baldwin County jury found both Stephens and Reaves guilty for their roles in the murder of Damarion Byrd, bringing a measure of closure to a case that had deeply wounded the Milledgeville community.
