On the morning of December 13, 2023, a shooting in Muskegon, Michigan, claimed the life of 20-year-old Dominic Sugin. Muskegon Police responded to the 1500 block of Hoyt Street where they discovered Sugin with gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. Sugin had celebrated his twentieth birthday less than two weeks prior to his death.
The investigation into the homicide revealed that Sugin was not the intended victim of the
shooting. The actual target was another man who was with Sugin at the time of the incident. This man reportedly had an ongoing dispute with one of the assailants. Three individuals were identified and subsequently arrested in connection with the fatal shooting: DaShawn Bates, Eric Wesley, and Keviyon Nolan. Investigators determined that Nolan, who was a close friend of the Sugin family, was driving the vehicle with Bates and Wesley as passengers. It was Bates and Wesley who fired their weapons, striking Sugin.
The three men faced charges for their roles in Dominic Sugin's death. DaShawn Bates entered a no contest plea to second-degree murder, while Eric Wesley pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and a felony firearm charge. Keviyon Nolan pleaded guilty to assault with intent to murder. In court, Dominic's mother, Stephannie Sugin, delivered an emotional address to the three men, expressing the profound impact of her son's death on his loved ones. Her statements were particularly poignant when directed at Nolan, whom she described as being like a son to her and a brother to Dominic.
Following their pleas, the three men were sentenced for their involvement in the crime. Eric Wesley received a sentence of 30 years to 95 years for second-degree murder, to be served after a consecutive two-year sentence for the firearm charge. DaShawn Bates was sentenced to a term of 33 to 100 years for second-degree murder. Keviyon Nolan was sentenced to approximately nine to 50 years for assault with intent to murder.
