In the early hours of New Year's Day 2019, the life of 24-year-old Rasheem Oshea Hairston was tragically cut short in Martinsville, Virginia. The young man, a resident of Eden, North Carolina, was attending a New Year's Eve party at a home on Clift Street when a violent altercation erupted, ending in a fatal shooting.
The celebration turned deadly at approximately 1:20 AM when an argument between Hairston and another individual escalated to gunfire.
Responding to a call of shots fired, Martinsville Police officers arrived at the scene to find Hairston deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. The festive atmosphere of the party had been shattered, replaced by a scene of violence and loss.
Shortly after discovering Hairston, police were notified of a second gunshot victim who had arrived at a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. This individual was identified as 23-year-old Devontae Lee Massey. The ensuing investigation revealed that Massey was the other party involved in the altercation with Hairston.
According to reports, the two men had a pre-existing conflict. Witnesses stated that Massey appeared agitated and had an 'obvious problem' with Hairston leading up to the shooting. The investigation indicated that Massey had fired shots from the street into the house where the party was taking place. Following his treatment at the hospital, Devontae Lee Massey was arrested in connection with the death of Rasheem Hairston.
Massey faced a series of serious charges, including second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, reckless handling of a firearm, and discharging a firearm within the city limits. The case against him was set to proceed through the court system as the investigation continued, with authorities appealing to the public for any additional information.
