In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Norfolk, Virginia, the life of 32-year-old Terri R. Denmark was tragically cut short. On April 16, 2023, at approximately 2:10 a.m., police responded to a report of a gunshot victim in the 1900 block of E. Ocean View Avenue. Upon arrival, officers discovered Denmark suffering from gunshot wounds; she was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The investigation into Denmark's death swiftly identified a suspect: 29-year-old Dayqwan Stevenson.
On May 18, 2023, Stevenson was apprehended in Norfolk by the Norfolk Police Fugitive Squad and the Norfolk Police Special Operations Team without incident. He was subsequently charged with second-degree murder and the use of a firearm in the commission of murder and held at the Norfolk City Jail without bond.
Further details emerged revealing a grim narrative of jealousy and domestic violence. Dayqwan Markelle Stevenson, who was 31 at the time of his sentencing, was not only Denmark's ex-boyfriend but also the father of her child. On the night of the murder, Stevenson had someone drive him to Denmark's home in Ocean View under the pretense of bringing their child food. After parking across the street and finding she wasn't home, he called and berated her for being out late. When Denmark arrived ten minutes later, Stevenson got out of the car and shot her ten times while she was still in the driver's seat of her vehicle. The individual who drove Stevenson to the location witnessed the shooting and was subsequently threatened by Stevenson to drive him away from the scene. Evidence against Stevenson included the witness's testimony, store surveillance footage, and his own phone records, which placed him at Denmark's house at the time of the shooting.
Ultimately, Stevenson pleaded guilty to the fatal shooting of his ex-girlfriend. In September 2024, he was sentenced to serve 26 years in prison, with an additional 24 years suspended. As part of his sentence, he will be subject to an indeterminate period of supervised probation upon his release. The Commonwealth's Attorney, Ramin Fatehi, stated that Stevenson was 'driven by jealousy' when he 'killed someone he claimed to love, taking the victim away from her family forever.'
