In the early hours of February 2, 2021, a horrific act of violence shattered a family in Muskogee, Oklahoma, ending the life of 6-year-old Nevaeh Pridgeon and five others. The tragedy unfolded at a home where officers responded to a report of a shooting at approximately 1:30 a.m.
Upon their arrival, law enforcement encountered a man holding a handgun. After a brief foot chase, the suspect, identified as Jarron Deajon Pridgeon, was taken into custody.
Inside the residence, a devastating scene awaited the first responders. They discovered the bodies of one adult and five children.
The victims of the mass shooting were identified as 24-year-old Javarion Lee and five of his nieces and nephews: Que'dynce Anderson, 9; Nevaeh Pridgeon, 6; Harmony Anderson, 5; Jaidus Pridgeon, 3; and Jalaiya Pridgeon, 1. The children's mother was also shot and seriously injured but survived the attack. Three other children in the home at the time of the shooting were unharmed.
Jarron Deajon Pridgeon, the brother of Javarion Lee and the uncle of the deceased children, was arrested in connection with the killings. He was subsequently charged with six counts of first-degree murder. In August 2021, the prosecutor announced they would seek the death penalty. However, on October 4, 2024, Pridgeon pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to life in prison.
