James Dejarnette Jr.

In the early hours of March 15, 2000, the quiet of a Virginia Beach neighborhood was broken by a grim discovery. James Dejarnette Jr., a 29-year-old Black male, was found deceased by his roommate inside their residence in the 1500 block of New York Avenue. An investigation by the State Medical Examiner's Office would later confirm that Dejarnette died from a gunshot wound, and his death was officially ruled a homicide.

Known affectionately as 'DeJay,' James was a beloved figure in his com ...