In the early morning hours of July 25, 2013, the quiet of a Virginia Beach apartment complex was broken by a grim discovery. Just before 12:30 a.m., police responded to a call at the Atlantis Apartments on Hope Avenue. There, on the ground near a parked car, they found the body of 20-year-old Donte D. Hines. He had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.
Donte, known to his loved ones as 'Duke,' was a Virginia Beach native who had attended local public schools and worked at Millenium Quality Styles. He was remembered for his love of music, football, and basketball, but most of all for the deep affection he held for his family.
The investigation into Donte's death moved swiftly. Within a week, Virginia Beach police announced the arrest of 25-year-old William Anthony Davis. Authorities stated that Davis and Hines were acquainted with one another, suggesting a personal connection between the victim and his alleged killer. However, investigators did not publicly release any information regarding a potential motive for the shooting. The sudden and violent end to a young life left a family to mourn and a community to wonder what could have led to such a tragedy. Donte Hines was survived by his mother, father, five brothers, and two sisters, along with a large extended family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins.
