On a late summer evening in Little Rock, Arkansas, the life of a promising young man was cut short. Kentarius Montrell “Peanut” Scott, a 25-year-old Black male, was fatally shot on August 29, 2020. The incident occurred in the parking lot of the Twin Peaks restaurant located at 10 Shackleford Drive. Scott, known to his loved ones as 'Peanut,' was a student at Philander Smith College majoring in business and a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
He was described as a determined and sweet soul with a smile that could light up a room. He had aspirations of joining the Air Force, starting his own landscaping company, and even creating a mental health program to help others.
The events that led to his death began with a brief disagreement inside the restaurant with another young man, 21-year-old Darean Deshun Moore. After the argument, Scott walked out of the establishment. Moore followed him into the parking lot, where he shot Scott and then fled the area on foot. Little Rock police officers responded to a call about the shooting at approximately 11:14 p.m. and found Scott lying in the parking lot with apparent gunshot wounds. Medical personnel arrived at the scene but were unable to save him, and he was pronounced dead.
Investigators quickly began interviewing witnesses and reviewing video surveillance from the restaurant. Through their investigation, they identified Darean Moore as the suspect. Detectives learned that Moore had taken a taxi from the scene. With assistance from the Arkansas State Police and the North Little Rock Police Department, law enforcement located Moore at a gas station on Galloway Road in North Little Rock, where he was attempting to hide. He was taken into custody and subsequently charged with first-degree murder.
In 2022, Darean Moore was sentenced to a total of 25 years for manslaughter in connection with the death of Kentarius Scott. In the wake of her son's death, Scott's mother, Elizabeth Jones, became a vocal advocate against gun violence in the community, hoping to prevent other families from experiencing such a profound loss. Kentarius was remembered as a peacemaker, full of life and joy, a young man who wanted to make a positive impact on the world.
