In the early evening of June 8, 2023, a witness's report of gunshots and a person down on the pavement brought Hermitage Precinct officers to a parking lot of the Hickory Creek Apartments on Vultee Boulevard in Nashville, Tennessee. There, they found 18-year-old Demon L. Floyd Jr. suffering from a gunshot wound. Emergency services transported Floyd to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Investigators believe that Floyd had arranged to meet someone in the parking lot that evening.
The investigation into the shooting death of the young man, a recent graduate and basketball player from East Nashville Magnet High School, moved swiftly. Homicide Unit detectives pursued active leads in the case, and their efforts quickly led to a suspect. The following day, on June 9, 2023, authorities from the Specialized Investigations Division located and apprehended 31-year-old O'Neil Boyd at an apartment complex on Millwood Drive. Boyd was taken into custody without incident.
Following his arrest, O'Neil Boyd was charged with criminal homicide in connection with the fatal shooting of Demon L. Floyd Jr. Investigators have stated that they believe the meeting between the two men was for a marijuana transaction that ultimately turned violent. Boyd was subsequently jailed on a $500,000 bond.
Demon L. Floyd Jr., born on February 7, 2005, was remembered as a loving son and a talented athlete who played football, baseball, and basketball. His obituary described him as an ambitious young man whose smile and laughter could light up a room. He was a beloved member of his family and the East Nashville basketball team, leaving behind his parents, grandparents, siblings, and a host of other relatives and friends.
