On the evening of May 21, 2021, emergency services in Winchester, Virginia, responded to a call from an apartment on Wilson Boulevard regarding a male with a gunshot wound. Upon their arrival, they discovered 18-year-old Jaiden Isaiah Myers, a Black / African American male, who had succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Another young man, a juvenile, was also found at the location with a serious gunshot wound and was transported to Winchester Medical Center. Myers was a senior at John Handley High School, just a month past his eighteenth birthday, and was known for his passion for sports like football and baseball, as well as for rapping.
The investigation into Jaiden Myers's death quickly became a homicide case, with the Winchester Police Department, Virginia State Police, and the Frederick County Sheriff's Office collaborating on the investigation. The immediate focus of the investigation was to identify and apprehend those responsible for the shooting. This collaborative effort led to the identification of several suspects involved in the incident.
The investigation led to the arrests of three individuals in connection with the murder of Jaiden Myers. Demetrius Dominque Brown, an 18-year-old from Fredericksburg, was charged with first-degree murder and was later indicted on five additional felonies. In August 2021, authorities arrested 19-year-old Jaeden Smithers of Sandston, charging him with attempt and conspiracy to commit robbery. The third suspect, 19-year-old Tony Peyton, Jr., also from Fredericksburg, was taken into custody in January 2022. Peyton faced charges of first-degree murder, attempted robbery, and conspiracy to commit robbery and was held without bond.
