In the early hours of a summer morning in Pontiac, Michigan, the life of 35-year-old Demarco Alexander Kinel was tragically cut short. On July 19, 2019, Kinel was discovered by his girlfriend and a friend lying in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue. He had sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The two had been searching for him after he was not found at his home. First responders were called to the scene at approximately 2:38 a.m., but it was too late.
Kinel was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into the homicide led authorities to a suspect, 27-year-old Jevon Hairston, also from Pontiac. Investigators found a single spent shell casing near where Kinel's body was found, a key piece of evidence in the case. Hairston was subsequently arrested and faced several serious charges, including open murder, possession of a firearm by a felon, and two counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. At the time of his arrest, Hairston had a prior criminal record that included charges for breaking and entering and carrying a concealed weapon.
Following his arrest, Jevon Hairston was held at the Oakland County Jail without bond. He was arraigned in the 50th District Court, and a probable cause conference was scheduled for early August 2019. During the initial legal proceedings, Hairston's defense attorney suggested that a self-defense strategy might be employed, claiming that Hairston had felt threatened before the shooting occurred. The case drew significant attention from the local community, highlighting the persistent issue of gun violence in the neighborhood.
