On June 11, 2023, 29-year-old Keyan Devon Jernigan and his father, 49-year-old Duane Jernigan, were fatally shot outside a residence on Roberson Road in Hallsville, Texas. The Harrison County Sheriff's Office received reports of gunfire around 7:36 p.m. and, upon arrival, discovered the two men deceased from apparent gunshot wounds.
During the investigation, authorities identified 26-year-old Darius Celedra Gates Jr. as a suspect. Officers attempted to stop Gates' vehicle, a black Chevrolet Tahoe, but he fled, leading them on a pursuit into Gregg County. The chase concluded on Fredonia Street, just off Highway 80 in Longview, where Gates was apprehended.
Gates was subsequently charged with multiple offenses, including capital murder of multiple persons, evading arrest with a vehicle, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession and delivery of marijuana. He was booked into the Harrison County Jail, with bond details pending at the time.
In the following months, a Harrison County grand jury indicted Gates for the capital murders of Keyan and Duane Jernigan, alleging that both homicides occurred during the same criminal transaction.
The deaths of Keyan and his father deeply affected the Hallsville community, with friends and family mourning their loss. A celebration of life for Keyan was held on June 17, 2023, at Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Marshall, Texas.
