On November 30, 2024, at approximately 1:25 a.m., Dayton police responded to reports of gunfire near Kammer Avenue and Winters Street. Upon arrival, officers discovered a vehicle that had collided with a power pole at Kammer and North Woodward avenues. Inside, they found 43-year-old Steve Simmons Dews, who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Officers administered immediate medical aid before Dews was transported to Miami Valley Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
Dews, affectionately known as "Sweet Tooth" and "JR," was a lifelong resident of Dayton. He graduated from Meadowdale High School in 2000 and earned an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from Sinclair Community College in 2021. Employed as a CBC Inspector at Fuyao Glass America, Dews was celebrated for his culinary skills, particularly in baking, and was known for his competitive spirit in games like dominoes, spades, and chess. He was also an avid basketball player and a devoted fan of the Kansas City Chiefs. His family remembers him as a dependable individual who brought joy to those around him.
The investigation into Dews' death led authorities to 23-year-old D’Anthonie R’amone Jackson. Utilizing cellphone data and text messages from Dews' phone, detectives identified Jackson as a suspect. On December 13, 2024, Jackson was indicted by a Montgomery County grand jury on two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one count of discharging a firearm on or near prohibited premises. Each count includes a three-year firearm specification. Jackson is currently held in the Montgomery County Jail on a $1 million cash bond, with arraignment scheduled for December 17, 2024.
Additionally, 24-year-old Brianna Rena Hastings has been charged in connection with Dews' death. Both Hastings and Jackson were charged in Dayton Municipal Court on December 6, 2024, facing two counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one count of discharging a firearm near prohibited premises. Hastings waived a preliminary hearing, and her case has been bound over to county common pleas court for grand jury review. She remains in custody at the Montgomery County Jail, also on a $1 million cash bond.
The Dayton Police Department's Homicide Unit continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Dews' death. Authorities have not publicly disclosed the nature of the relationship between Dews, Jackson, and Hastings, nor have they provided information regarding a possible motive. As the legal process unfolds, more details may emerge to shed light on this tragic incident.
