On a cold January afternoon in 2016, the life of 20-year-old Dejon Jermaine Wagstaff, a Black / African American male, was tragically cut short in Richmond, Virginia. On January 13th, police responded to a report of shots fired in the 2700 block of Byron Street. Arriving at the scene, they found Wagstaff deceased in the driver's seat of a crashed vehicle, having suffered a fatal gunshot wound.
The promising young man, known to friends and family as 'Wag,' was an aspiring music producer and DJ who had graduated from Henrico High School.
The investigation into Wagstaff's death quickly unraveled a revenge plot that led to the arrest of four individuals. Authorities identified Steven Emanuel Parson, Timothy Garrison Jr., Tasheema Peace, and Kiarra Trimiew as suspects in the conspiracy to commit murder. Parson, who was 31 years old at the time of his arrest, was apprehended shortly after the incident following a brief foot chase. He was subsequently charged with conspiracy to commit murder and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The motive for the killing stemmed from an alleged sexual assault involving Wagstaff and Kiarra Trimiew, who was Parson's girlfriend. The prosecution's evidence detailed a plan where Tasheema Peace lured Wagstaff to the location under false pretenses. Both Steven Parson and Timothy Garrison Jr. were ultimately convicted for their roles in the murder and each sentenced to 40 years in prison. Tasheema Peace and Kiarra Trimiew also faced charges related to their involvement in the conspiracy. In the wake of this devastating loss, Wagstaff's family established a scholarship in his name to support students pursuing music, honoring his passion and keeping his memory alive.
