In the early morning hours of July 6, 2021, the life of 36-year-old Deloris Irene Avant, a female resident of Auburn Hills, Michigan, was tragically cut short. Police and fire personnel were dispatched to her apartment in the 3500 block of Fountain Circle at approximately 4:24 a.m. following a report of a person being shot. Upon their arrival, they discovered Ms. Avant with a single gunshot wound to her upper body.
She was unresponsive and immediately transported to a nearby hospital, where she ultimately succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased. The incident was contained to the apartment and did not involve any other residents of the complex.
The investigation into her death quickly pointed to a domestic dispute. Inside the apartment at the time of the shooting was Deloris Avant's 13-year-old son, who was asleep and thankfully unharmed during the incident. The authorities identified 32-year-old Lavaren Gaddis of Rochester Hills as the suspect in her death. It is alleged that Gaddis shot Avant during a domestic altercation that took place inside a bedroom of the apartment.
Following the investigation, Lavaren Gaddis was taken into custody. On July 9, 2021, he was formally charged and arraigned in the 52-3 District Court in Rochester Hills. The charges brought against him were Homicide – Open Murder, a felony carrying a potential life sentence, and Possession of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, which carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. During his arraignment, Gaddis was denied bond and was remanded to the Oakland County Jail to await further court proceedings. A preliminary exam conference was scheduled for July 19, 2021.
