On July 8, 2023, 45-year-old Donyel Delmar was fatally shot at the Prince Hall Village Apartments in Port Arthur, Texas. Responding to reports of gunfire around 11 p.m., police found Delmar lying in the parking lot with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont, where he succumbed to his injuries.
In the days following the incident, the Port Arthur Police Department, in collaboration with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the
U.S. Marshals Service, initiated a search for suspects connected to the homicide. On July 14, 2023, authorities arrested 26-year-old Kentrell Gabriel in New Iberia, Louisiana. Gabriel, who has ties to both Louisiana and Port Arthur, was apprehended on a murder warrant and held in the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office jail on a $1 million bond.
Despite Gabriel's arrest, investigators continued to pursue additional leads, identifying at least two other persons of interest in connection with Delmar's death. The investigation remained active as authorities sought to uncover the motive behind the shooting and apprehend all individuals involved.
In September 2024, a significant development occurred when 26-year-old Devon Clifton Thomas of Farmerville, Louisiana, was arrested in connection with Delmar's murder. Thomas's apprehension marked the second arrest related to the case, indicating progress in the ongoing investigation.
Throughout this period, Delmar's family and the Port Arthur community sought justice for his untimely death. A GoFundMe account titled "Help with burial" was established by his family to assist with funeral expenses, reflecting the personal loss and communal grief experienced in the aftermath of the tragedy.
