On June 27, 2023, at approximately 9:08 p.m., deputies from the Robeson County Sheriff's Office responded to a shooting incident at 135 Beam Road in Lumberton, North Carolina. Upon arrival, they discovered 20-year-old Tazarie Emonte Butler, an emerging rapper known as "Lil JBo," deceased from multiple gunshot wounds to the chest and abdomen. Butler had been involved in a physical altercation with a friend, Joshton Locklear, reportedly over a disagreement about the authenticity of Butler's
watch. During the fight, Locklear's older brother, 26-year-old Chamberlain Lee Oxendine, intervened, resulting in Butler's fatal shooting.
Following a month-long investigation, the Robeson County Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for Oxendine's arrest on charges of first-degree murder. On August 2, 2023, Oxendine surrendered to authorities and was subsequently held without bond. The case proceeded through the judicial system, with a judge later ruling that there was sufficient probable cause to advance the charges to Superior Court. Despite motions from Oxendine's defense to reduce his bond and dismiss the charges on grounds of delayed trial proceedings, the court maintained his bond at $1 million, and the charges remained in place.
The incident has had a profound impact on the Lumberton community, particularly among Butler's family and supporters. In honor of his memory, June 27 has been proclaimed as "Tazarie Butler Day" in Lumberton, with community members wearing purple to commemorate his life and legacy. Butler's mother, Shanna Lowery, has been actively involved in seeking justice for her son, attending court hearings and expressing relief at the judicial decisions to proceed with the case. The legal process continues as the community awaits further developments in the pursuit of justice for Tazarie Butler.
