On a Tuesday night in August 2017, Nathaniel Lee, a 32-year-old man, was fatally shot while sitting in a parked vehicle at the River Terrace housing complex in Benton-Harbor, Michigan. The incident, which occurred around 11:45 p.m. on August 15th, was believed to have been a robbery attempt. Lee was shot twice during the course of the robbery and died from his gunshot wounds. The Benton Harbor Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the Michigan State Police Major Crimes Unit, the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, and the Berrien County Sheriff's Department, conducted the investigation into his death.
Authorities quickly identified 19-year-old Davion Turner of Conyers, Georgia, as the suspected shooter. Turner, who was reportedly in Benton-Harbor visiting his father, turned himself in to the police two days after the shooting. He was subsequently charged with open murder and felony firearm. The investigation led to the arrest of three other Benton-Harbor men who were alleged to have conspired with Turner to rob Lee. Antonio Hall, 21, Shuantae Hill, Jr., 21, and Denzeil Dade, 23, were all charged with felony murder, armed robbery, and felony firearm.
The legal proceedings that followed saw varying outcomes for the accused. Davion Turner, the alleged triggerman, was acquitted of all charges, including open murder and felony murder, after a jury deliberation in August 2018. Antonio Hall was convicted for his role in the crime. Denziel Dade entered into a plea agreement and testified at the trials of both Hall and Turner. Shuantae Hill, who is Turner's brother, was also awaiting trial for his alleged involvement.
