In the quiet community of Chester, Virginia, the life of 19-year-old Demaj Montae Felder, a Black male, was abruptly ended on the night of March 12, 2021. The tragic events unfolded at an Exxon gas station on Chester Road, a place of routine comings and goings that was transformed into a scene of violence. At approximately 10:50 p.m., the sound of gunfire shattered the evening calm, drawing the immediate attention of law enforcement.
Upon their arrival, Chesterfield County police officers discovered Felder inside a vehicle, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but the efforts to save his life were in vain. The initial investigation provided few immediate answers, leaving a community in shock and a family grappling with a sudden and devastating loss. The motive for the shooting was not immediately clear, and for a short time, no suspects were publicly identified, prompting police to appeal to the public for any information that could lead to an arrest.
The uncertainty, however, did not last long. The day after the fatal shooting, investigators apprehended 18-year-old Cameron X. Harper of Prince George County. A few days later, a second suspect, 18-year-old Tyvontae Thorpe of Petersburg, was also taken into custody. Both teenagers were charged with second-degree murder in connection with Felder's death. Thorpe faced an additional charge for the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Following their arrests, both Harper and Thorpe were held without bond as the legal process began to unfold. Information regarding the subsequent trial, conviction, or sentencing of the two suspects is not available in the public sources that were consulted.
