On the evening of September 12, 2023, at approximately 9:02 p.m., deputies from the Robeson County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported shooting near 172 Resa Loop Drive in Lumberton, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they discovered 36-year-old Keon Montreal Eaton, a resident of Tar Heel, North Carolina, deceased at the scene. The cause of death was identified as multiple gunshot wounds.
The following day, September 13, 2023, authorities arrested 19-year-old Jamarion Smith of Lumberton in connection with Eaton's death. Smith was charged with second-degree murder and was detained at the Robeson County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond. The Robeson County Sheriff's Office Homicide Division led the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Keon Eaton was born on September 13, 1986, and was survived by his parents, Gregory and Sophia Colvin, as well as his four children: Zahriya, Skye Lora, Tahiriya Eaton, and Chozen Cozart. Funeral services were held on September 23, 2023, at Malloy Grove Free Will Baptist Church in Parkton, North Carolina, with burial following at the church cemetery.
The arrest of Smith provided some measure of progress in the case; however, the investigation remained active. Authorities continued to seek additional information to fully understand the events leading up to the shooting. Community members with pertinent information were encouraged to contact the Robeson County Sheriff's Office to assist in the ongoing investigation.
