In the winter of 2015, the quiet community of Yorktown, Virginia, was shaken by the violent death of 17-year-old Dylan Thomas Peters. On the afternoon of January 27th, deputies from the York-Poquoson Sheriff's Office responded to a report of a shooting in the 200 block of Cattail Lane, located in the Tabb area of the county. Upon arrival, they discovered Peters inside a home, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to a local hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The incident was not a random act of violence.
The investigation into the death of the Tabb High School student quickly revealed a plot to rob him of drugs and money. The plan was allegedly orchestrated by three individuals: Evan Tyler, who was 17 at the time, Tevin Lambert, 20, and Alphonzo Jackson. According to court documents, the idea for the robbery originated from a rumor Tyler heard while in a juvenile detention center, suggesting that Peters possessed a significant amount of marijuana and cash.
On the day of the fatal shooting, Tyler, Lambert, and Jackson are said to have discussed their plan to rob Peters. That afternoon, Tyler went to Peters' home. After a brief conversation on the porch, Peters attempted to retreat inside and close the door. It was at this moment that Tyler fired five shots through the door, all of which struck Peters, with the fatal bullet piercing his heart. The assailants fled the scene without successfully taking any drugs or money.
Within a day of the shooting, law enforcement had their first suspect in custody. Evan Tyler was arrested and charged with second-degree murder, attempted robbery, and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Tevin Lambert and Alphonzo Jackson were also arrested and faced charges related to their involvement in the conspiracy to commit robbery.
The legal proceedings that followed brought some measure of closure to the tragic case. Evan Tyler pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, attempted robbery, and other related charges. Tevin Lambert also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and received a 10-year prison sentence with seven years suspended. Alphonzo Jackson, who cooperated with investigators and identified Tyler as the shooter, pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge and was sentenced to 10 years in prison with all but one year and four months suspended.
