Kevin Michael Shepherd was a 38-year-old White man with a big heart who was known by many nicknames, including Shep, Sheppy, and Two Step Shep for his dance moves. A barber by trade, he loved making his clients smile and was known for his deep, belly laugh and for singing at the top of his lungs. His family recalled that while he had his struggles, he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need and had a magnetic way with children.
On the morning of Friday, January 26, 2024,
Kevin’s life was cut short in Hagerstown, Maryland. At approximately 9:50 a.m., police responded to a report of shots fired in the 1200 block of Marshall Street. They arrived to find Kevin deceased in the driver's seat of his car, which had crashed into a small tree in an alleyway. He had suffered an apparent gunshot wound. The car was still in reverse, leading investigators to believe he had been attacked while in the vehicle and was trying to escape. Police quickly determined the shooting was a targeted incident and not a random act of violence.
The investigation led to the arrests of three people who knew Kevin: his girlfriend, Stephanie Nicolle Paulino, 35; Jenaro "JT" James Torres, 26; and Emens "E" Lourdy Rho, 40. According to charging documents, Paulino told police that Kevin had been assaulting her and she had arranged for Torres and Rho to come to her home to make him leave. She claimed she thought they were only going to assault or rob him. In February 2024, all three were charged with first and second-degree murder, assault, and firearm violations.
The case took a turn in March 2024 when the Washington County State's Attorney's Office dismissed the murder charges against all three suspects, stating the evidence at the time was insufficient to support convictions. Police, however, continued to investigate what one official described as a "complicated set of events."
In early July 2024, after submitting new, lengthier charging documents citing additional evidence, Hagerstown Police recharged Jenaro James Torres, now 27, with Kevin Shepherd's murder. The murder charges against Emens Rho and Stephanie Paulino were not refiled, though they remained incarcerated on charges related to other cases. As of August 2024, the investigation into Kevin's death was still ongoing.
