In the late summer of 2021, the life of 24-year-old Marissa Leigh Valdez was tragically cut short in Grand Rapids, Michigan. On the afternoon of Wednesday, September 8, 2021, police received 911 calls reporting a shooting at an apartment on the city's northeast side. Upon arrival, officers discovered Marissa inside, suffering from a fatal gunshot wound. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The tragedy was compounded by the fact that Marissa was pregnant at the time of her death.
A person of interest, present at the scene, was immediately taken into custody by the Grand Rapids Police Department. He was later identified as 24-year-old Dealeyon Jaishawn Franklin. The investigation swiftly led to serious charges against Franklin. He was officially charged with homicide, assault of a pregnant individual with the intention to cause a miscarriage or stillbirth, and a firearms felony. Following the charges, Franklin was held at the Kent County Correctional Facility without bond as he awaited legal proceedings.
Ultimately, Dealeyon Jaishawn Franklin did not face a full trial for the death of Marissa and her unborn child. Instead, he entered into a plea agreement. As a result of his plea, he was convicted of second-degree murder and assault of a pregnant individual with the intent to cause a miscarriage. On June 27, 2022, he was sentenced for his crimes. For the second-degree murder charge, Franklin received a sentence of 25 to 50 years in prison. He was handed an additional sentence of 15 to 30 years for the assault charge related to the termination of Marissa's pregnancy. These sentences are being served concurrently.
