In the fading light of a late September evening in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the life of Jewelian Wayn Trevino, a 26-year-old male, was cut short by an act of violence. On September 27, 2020, Trevino was shot and killed, becoming another victim of the city's gun violence. The incident took place in the vicinity of Curve Street SW and Underhill Avenue SW, leaving a community in mourning and a family searching for answers.
The initial hours and days after the shooting were filled with uncertainty as the Grand Rapids Police Department launched an investigation into the homicide.
Weeks turned into a nearly two-month-long investigation before a breakthrough in the case was announced. In late November 2020, authorities publicly identified 29-year-old Darrias Markes Hardges of Kentwood as the primary suspect in Trevino's death. The Grand Rapids Police Department secured a four-count felony warrant for his arrest and sought the public's assistance in locating him, cautioning that he should be considered armed and dangerous. A description of Hardges was released, noting he was a Black male, 5'4' tall, weighing 130 pounds, with distinctive scars on his forehead and over his left eye.
The search for Hardges eventually led to his apprehension, and he was brought into the justice system to face charges related to the events of that tragic day. Court proceedings followed, culminating in a conviction. On October 14, 2021, Darrias Markes Hardges entered a plea and was sentenced for multiple offenses that occurred on the same day as Jewelian Trevino's death. His convictions included careless use of a firearm resulting in injury or death, possession of a firearm by a felon, and carrying a concealed weapon. He was subsequently incarcerated in the Bellamy Creek Correctional Facility.
