On a Sunday morning in Camden, New Jersey, 74-year-old Sheila Baskins was getting ready to go grocery shopping. As she sat in the front passenger seat of her car on the 1800 block of Mulford Street on October 4, 2020, her grandson was helping her get situated. Suddenly, the morning calm was shattered by the sound of multiple gunshots. Struck by a bullet, she was rushed to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The investigation into her death revealed a tragic case of mistaken identity. Authorities determined that the gunman's actual target was Baskins's grandson. The intended victim had reportedly been in a confrontation with the alleged shooter just days before the incident. Prosecutors believe the grandson was targeted because of a belief that he had provided information to law enforcement.
In a cruel twist of fate, the bullet meant for him struck and killed his grandmother instead.
Detectives were able to identify a suspect based on several key pieces of evidence. The grandson identified 23-year-old Dayshawn Nesmith of Camden as the man who approached the car and opened fire. Surveillance footage from the block captured the shooting and showed Nesmith's minivan in the area around the time of the homicide. His cell phone records also placed him at the scene. Furthermore, a gray sweatshirt that matched what the shooter was wearing was later found to have gunshot residue on it.
Dayshawn Nesmith was subsequently arrested and charged with first-degree murder and related gun offenses. He was detained pending trial. Authorities stated that Nesmith had executed the wrong person in his attempt to retaliate against Baskins's grandson.
