On the night of January 8, 2024, officers from the East Precinct in Portland, Oregon, responded to a welfare check call in the Hazelwood Neighborhood. Arriving at the 2400 block of Southeast 106th Avenue around 10:53 p.m., they discovered the body of a man. The deceased was later identified as 30-year-old Deshawn Pledger, a male resident of Portland.
An autopsy performed by the Medical Examiner would later determine that Pledger's death was a homicide caused by a gunshot wound, marking the city's first homicide of the year.
Deshawn, the only boy among five siblings, was a father to two children, Isabella and Jullian, whom he loved dearly. His family remembered him as a sweet person who gave big hugs. Though he could be rough around the edges, he constantly sought advice and strived to better himself, dreaming of achieving much more in his life. He was just getting to know one of his five sisters and had talked about traveling across the country with his aunt to meet more of his extended family. His death left his family heartbroken, with his aunt fondly recalling their last conversation the day before he was found.
In the wake of the discovery, the Portland Police Homicide Unit launched an investigation. Initially, no arrests were made, and authorities appealed to the public for any information that could lead to a suspect. Detectives diligently worked the case, which eventually led them to identify 32-year-old Xavier V. Lucas of Portland as the primary suspect. The case was then referred to the Multnomah County District Attorney's office, which secured an arrest warrant for Lucas.
The investigation culminated on Thursday, February 22, 2024, when members of the United States Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Xavier V. Lucas in Hesperia, California. He was taken into custody without incident and booked into the San Bernadino County West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, California. The arrest warrant charged him with Murder in the Second Degree and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. Proceedings for his extradition to Multnomah County to face the charges related to the death of Deshawn Pledger were initiated following his capture. The victim's family was notified of the arrest, marking a significant development in the case.
