In the early morning hours of July 28, 2024, a violent encounter in a Springfield, Missouri, parking lot ended the life of D’Vaunte Tavon Grant. A 31-year-old Black male from Texas, Grant was remembered by a loved one as an “Amazing father!!” His death occurred after he was shot in the parking lot of the Wicked Superstore, a smoke and vape shop on East Kearney Street.
Police were called to the scene for a report of shots fired at approximately 3:22 a.m.
When officers arrived, they found evidence of a shooting but no victim. A citizen had already transported Grant to a local hospital for a single gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead shortly after his arrival. According to investigators who reviewed surveillance footage from the store, the incident unfolded quickly. The video showed a man, later identified as Isaiah Church, park his vehicle and go inside the store. Grant then arrived, parked next to Church’s car, and approached the vehicle. Church was then seen running from the store toward Grant and shooting him. Both men left the scene in separate cars.
Detectives with the Springfield Police Department quickly identified 34-year-old Isaiah Daniel Church of Springfield as the suspect. Later that same Sunday afternoon, officers tracked Church to a residence on North Lexington Avenue, where he was reportedly hiding in an attic. After a brief standoff, Church surrendered to police without incident and was taken into custody. Authorities noted he was wearing the same clothing seen in the surveillance video, and after his arrest, he allegedly told them he had shot Grant.
Isaiah Church was arrested and booked into the Greene County Jail. He was formally charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in connection with D’Vaunte Grant's death. His bond was set at $100,000. As of June 2026, the case against Church had not yet gone to trial and remained pending in the Greene County court system. Detectives have asked anyone with additional information about the incident to contact the Springfield Police Department at 417-864-1810 or to make an anonymous call to Crime Stoppers at 417-869-TIPS (8477).
