On the afternoon of October 29, 2020, 31-year-old Remy Lee, a pregnant woman from Paterson, New Jersey, was shot and killed in a tragic act of domestic violence. The incident unfolded in the parking lot of the Brook-Sloate Terrace housing complex where she lived. Surveillance footage from the area showed a red Dodge Dart entering the complex and waiting for over an hour.
When Lee arrived and exited her vehicle, she was shot multiple times from the car, which then sped away.
As she lay dying, Lee was able to identify her attacker to witnesses who rushed to her aid. She repeatedly stated that the shooter was the father of her unborn child, identifying him by his street name, 'Quay.' Lee was transported to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, where doctors were able to deliver her baby boy. Tragically, Lee succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced dead.
The investigation quickly focused on 30-year-old Donqua Thomas, who was identified as 'Quay' by Lee's mother. Two days after the shooting, Thomas surrendered to the Paterson police. He was subsequently charged with murder and weapons offenses. It was later revealed that Thomas had a criminal history, including convictions for handgun charges and drug dealing.
In June 2023, a Passaic County jury found Donqua Thomas guilty of murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and certain persons not to possess firearms. In November 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Remy Lee. The child he fathered with Lee survived the attack.
