On a summer evening in Detroit, Michigan, a 28-year-old Black man named Darryl Hicks was fatally shot on July 25, 2019. The incident unfolded at a gas station on Gratiot Avenue, near East State Fair, at approximately 9 p.m. Hicks, a father of two, was in the process of fueling his vehicle when he was ambushed by three armed individuals.
Surveillance footage from the gas station captured the harrowing moments as Reondo Ventour and Dekarie Kennedy approached Hicks, with a third man,
Kayjuan Glover-Smith, following. An altercation quickly ensued, during which Ventour pulled Hicks from his car. As they struggled, Kennedy shot Hicks multiple times. While Hicks was on the ground, Glover-Smith proceeded to steal his belongings. Before the trio fled the scene, Kennedy fired another shot at Hicks. He was transported to a nearby hospital where he ultimately succumbed to his multiple gunshot wounds.
Investigators believe the motive for the fatal shooting may have been connected to a prior dispute, possibly a robbery. The Detroit Police Department swiftly identified the three men involved. Kayjuan Glover-Smith was the first to be apprehended and faced charges of felony murder, felony firearm, and carrying a concealed weapon. His bond was denied, and his case proceeded through the court system.
The other two suspects, Reondo Ventour and Dekarie Kennedy, remained at large for nearly four months. A coordinated effort between the Detroit police, U.S. Marshals, and local law enforcement in West Virginia led to their capture in November 2019. They were discovered hiding in a known drug house in Rupert, West Virginia. Authorities believe Ventour orchestrated the murder, while Kennedy was the one who fired the fatal shots. Both men faced additional charges in West Virginia before their extradition to Michigan to face legal proceedings for the murder of Darryl Hicks.
