On June 5, 2023, 31-year-old Britton Owens was fatally shot at an apartment complex on Prestigious Lane in Charlotte, North Carolina. The incident occurred around 8 p.m., when officers responded to reports of multiple gunshots and found Owens with several gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Owens was identified by his distinctive neck tattoos.
Owens was a loving father, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter who had recently graduated.
His family remembered him for his contagious sense of humor and deep love for his daughter. His brother, who witnessed Owens take his last breath, expressed the family's grief and their commitment to supporting his young daughter during this difficult time.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) launched an investigation into the homicide. On June 7, 2023, they arrested 24-year-old Jamal Dean on unrelated warrants. During an interview, Dean was charged with murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, robbery with a dangerous weapon, and conspiracy to commit robbery with a dangerous weapon in connection with Owens' death.
Dean had a prior criminal record, including charges for armed robbery, assault on a female, discharging a weapon, and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill. Following his arrest, he was held without bond.
In July 2024, Dean pled guilty to second-degree murder and felony breaking or entering related to Owens' death. He was sentenced to a consolidated prison term of 292 to 363 months (approximately 24 to 30 years). Additionally, Dean admitted to violating the terms of his probation from a previous conviction, resulting in an activated suspended sentence of 19 to 32 months, to be served concurrently with his new sentence.
The swift arrest and subsequent sentencing of Jamal Dean brought a measure of justice for the family of Britton Owens, though the loss of a father and loved one continues to resonate deeply within the community.
