On a Saturday evening, the lives of two men were tragically cut short in a violent encounter at a local convenience store. Bahadur 'Bob' Dhillon, a 62-year-old White/Caucasian male, was working at his establishment, the Cherrytree Food Mart in Blytheville, Arkansas, on November 5, 2016. At approximately 9:00 p.m., a distress call led authorities to the store, where they discovered a grim scene.
Dhillon was found deceased behind the counter, and his 56-year-old employee, Anthony Tramble, was located near the rear of the store. Both men had sustained fatal gunshot wounds.
The investigation into the double homicide quickly revealed that the motive was robbery. Surveillance footage from a nearby business captured three masked individuals entering the Cherrytree Food Mart around the time of the incident. Witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing the suspects, described as wearing dark clothing with one in red, flee the scene. The assailants made off with a small amount of cash and cigarettes, leaving a devastating impact on the community. The search for those responsible began immediately, with law enforcement piecing together the events of that fateful night.
Through their investigation, authorities were able to identify three suspects in connection with the murders. The individuals apprehended were Avante Lawshea, who was 17 at the time, 18-year-old Christopher Clay, and 19-year-old Ledarrius Simmons. They were subsequently charged with two counts of capital murder and one count of aggravated robbery for their roles in the deaths of Dhillon and Tramble. The investigation revealed that the trio had allegedly attempted to rob another convenience store earlier that evening but were unsuccessful because the doors were locked.
In March 2018, the legal process brought a measure of justice for the victims and their families. Avante Lawshea was convicted by a Blytheville jury on all charges. For each of the two counts of capital murder, he received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole, along with an additional ten years for the aggravated robbery charge. The cases against the other suspects also proceeded through the justice system, marking a significant step in holding all responsible parties accountable for the violent deaths of Bahadur 'Bob' Dhillon and Anthony Tramble.
