In the Whitehaven neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee, a domestic dispute escalated into a fatal shooting on a Sunday morning. The life of Axzaibeion Derronterian La’Vontai Irby, a 24-year-old male, was cut short on February 5, 2023. The events unfolded at the Mill Creek Apartments, the residence of Irby's ex-girlfriend. She had initially contacted the Memphis police around 9:40 a.m., reporting that Irby, who had been recently released from jail following a domestic assault charge against her,
was outside her home. However, when officers arrived, they were unable to locate him.
Less than an hour later, at approximately 10:25 a.m., the woman made a second, more frantic call to the police, this time reporting a shooting at the same location. Upon their return to the apartment complex, officers discovered Irby with gunshot wounds to his chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The tranquil Sunday morning at the Mill Creek Apartments had been shattered by violence, leaving one man dead and a community searching for answers. The initial investigation pointed to a suspect who had fled the scene, but the search for him would not last long.
The man identified as the suspect was 21-year-old Lamarquez Wilburn. In a surprising turn of events, Wilburn voluntarily surrendered to the authorities after his relatives contacted the police on his behalf. One of his family members also turned over a pistol that was allegedly used in the shooting. During questioning, Wilburn admitted to shooting Irby but claimed it was an act of self-defense. He told investigators that he only fired his weapon when Irby rushed at him. Waiving his right to an attorney, Wilburn provided his account of the fatal encounter.
Following his confession and the evidence gathered, the Memphis Police Department charged Lamarquez Wilburn with voluntary manslaughter. His bond was set at $80,000, and he was scheduled for a court appearance on February 7, 2023. The charge of voluntary manslaughter suggests that the authorities believed the killing may have occurred in a state of passion or provocation, distinguishing it from a premeditated act of murder. The claim of self-defense introduced a complex element to the case, leaving the judicial process to determine the final narrative of that tragic Sunday morning. There have been no further publicly available updates on the outcome of the court proceedings.
