In the late hours of a Friday night in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the life of 42-year-old Antonyo Stephens was tragically cut short. On August 14, 2020, Stephens was shot and killed at a residence on South Harrison Street. A male victim, later identified as Stephens, was found inside the home with life-threatening injuries. Despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Antonyo Stephens moved swiftly.
Within a day of the shooting, Fort Wayne homicide detectives, with the assistance of the Indiana State Police, had identified a suspect. On the evening of Monday, August 17, 2020, Markquiel Derrick was located and arrested just south of Indianapolis. He was then transported back to Fort Wayne and booked into the Allen County Jail, initially facing a charge of murder for his connection to Stephens' death. The arrest was a result of dedicated police work and assistance from the community.
In August 2021, the legal proceedings against Markquiel Derrick came to a resolution. Derrick, 29 years old at the time, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the fatal shooting of Antonyo Stephens. As a result of his plea agreement, he was sentenced to a term of up to 20 years in prison, to be followed by five years of probation. His sentencing was scheduled for September 24 of that year.
