In the summer of 2019 in Muskegon Heights, Michigan, the life of 18-year-old Derek Wade Peterson II was tragically cut short. On June 5th, Peterson was found inside a vehicle at the intersection of 6th Street and Broadway Avenue, having been fatally shot in the head. The young man's death was quickly ruled a homicide, sparking an investigation that would lead authorities down a complex path involving two suspects.
Within days of the shooting, police made their first arrest, taking 30-year-old Rodney Amos Neal into custody. Believing him to be the perpetrator, the Muskegon County Prosecutor's Office charged Neal with open murder. Investigators at the time assured the public that the shooting was not a random act of violence, suggesting that Neal and Peterson were acquainted.
As the case against Neal proceeded, another individual emerged as a primary suspect. Darese Dukur Sanders, 25 years old at the time, was also charged with open murder in connection with Peterson's death. However, by the time the warrant for his arrest was issued, Sanders had fled the state of Michigan. Believing he may have traveled to Georgia where he had family, the FBI joined the manhunt, issuing a federal warrant for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution.
The search for Sanders continued for a period of time, but he was eventually apprehended and returned to Michigan to face the charges against him. In a turn of events, the open murder charge against Sanders was ultimately dismissed. Instead, he reached a plea agreement with prosecutors, pleading guilty to the lesser charges of assault with intent to murder and felony-firearm.
Meanwhile, the case against the first suspect, Rodney Amos Neal, moved forward through the court system. After a trial, a jury found Neal guilty of second-degree murder for his role in the death of Derek Wade Peterson II. The motive for the tragic shooting was reported to be a dispute over a cell phone. For his crime, Rodney Amos Neal was sentenced to serve a lengthy prison term of 65 to 100 years. Following his plea deal, Darese Dukur Sanders was also sentenced for his involvement in the incident.
