In early February 2017, concern grew among the friends and business associates of Alonzo Dukes when he became uncharacteristically unreachable. For hours, he hadn't been to either of his offices, prompting one of his partners to check on him at his residence in Leland, Mississippi. Upon arrival, the unsettling sight of a partially open garage door and ajar interior doors heightened their fears. They immediately backed away from the home and contacted the Leland Police Department.
Responding officers entered the residence to conduct a welfare check and discovered a gruesome scene that would remain etched in their memories. Alonzo Dukes was found deceased, lying in a pool of blood on the floor. It was apparent a violent struggle had occurred. Investigators also noted that several valuable items, including electronics, appeared to be missing from the home. Furthermore, Dukes' blue van was not at the residence and was subsequently listed as stolen on a national database.
The investigation quickly led authorities to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Dukes' stolen van was recovered. The driver, Leonard Stevenson, Jr., a 28-year-old from Greenville, Mississippi, was taken into custody for possession of the stolen vehicle. Investigators from both the Leland and Greenville Police Departments, who were also investigating Stevenson as a primary suspect in a separate homicide, traveled to Arkansas to question him. Initially, Stevenson denied any involvement in the murder of Alonzo Dukes. However, when confronted with the evidence that had been gathered against him, he confessed to the robbery and killing.
Following his confession, Leonard Stevenson, Jr. was charged with capital murder. During his trial in February 2022, the jury heard testimony detailing the events of that fatal day. After deliberating for just under two hours, the Washington County jury found Stevenson guilty of the capital murder of Alonzo Dukes. This was his second capital murder conviction. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, a sentence to be served consecutively with the one he received for the other killing.
