In the quiet Buckingham Park section of Willingboro, New Jersey, the life of 26-year-old Deasia Ayres, a female resident, was tragically cut short. On the morning of September 18, 2019, she was discovered inside her parked Dodge Durango on Baldwin Lane. An autopsy would later reveal she had been shot in the back of the neck and head in the early morning hours.
The motive for this violent act was determined to be a robbery.
The investigation into her death moved swiftly, and a week later, two local men were arrested in connection with the crime. Devon Woods, 25, of Trenton, and Sam T. Gore, 25, of Willingboro, were taken into custody at their homes. Both men were charged with a slate of serious offenses, including first-degree murder, robbery, and weapons charges. Authorities identified Woods as the individual who pulled the trigger, ending Ayres's life.
The legal process brought differing outcomes for the two suspects. In October 2022, a jury found Devon Woods guilty of murder, robbery, and other related charges after a brief deliberation. In January 2023, he was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the fatal shooting. His co-defendant, Sam T. Gore, who faced similar charges, was ultimately found not guilty of the murder.
