Crime
Donte Lamont Brown identified as suspect in Compton drive-by shooting that killed woman and daughter
Investigators are asking for the public’s assistance in locating a Compton man suspected of fatally shooting his estranged girlfriend and her daughter in a drive-by attack at a stoplight earlier this week.
The victims, La’von Hall, 45, and her daughter, Ma’Laysia Martin, 22, were shot and killed around 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the intersection of Caldwell Street and South Central Avenue.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department (LASD) has identified the suspect as 41-year-old Donte Lamont Brown, a resident of Compton.
Authorities say Brown, described as armed and dangerous, remains at large, and detectives have exhausted all leads in their search.
On Thursday, LASD issued a public appeal for information on Brown’s whereabouts, urging anyone with knowledge of his location to come forward.
According to investigators, Brown frequents the Compton and Long Beach areas and was last seen fleeing the crime scene southbound on South Central Avenue.
Deputies responded to the scene around 7 p.m. Tuesday, where they discovered Hall lying on the ground with gunshot wounds.
Martin, also suffering from gunshot wounds, was found in the passenger seat of a vehicle. Despite emergency efforts, both women were pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities say Brown pulled up alongside the victims’ vehicle at a stoplight and opened fire, striking both Hall and Martin.
Hall attempted to exit the car but collapsed on the ground. The suspect then fled the scene in his vehicle.
While an official motive remains under investigation, Compton City Councilmember Jonathan Bowers indicated that the shooting appears to be a case of domestic violence.
Further details regarding Brown’s relationship with Hall or previous incidents remain unclear.
Anyone with information on Donte Lamont Brown’s whereabouts is urged to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500.
Anonymous tips can also be submitted through LA Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS (8477) or online at lacrimestoppers.org.
Authorities stress that Brown should not be approached and encourage anyone who sees him to call 911 immediately.
Crime
4 Killed in Eden Crash at Carroll and Church Streets, Driver and Victims Identified
Michael Vernon, driver of dump truck involved charged.
A tragic crash in Eden, North Carolina, has left four people dead and several others injured following a multi-vehicle incident involving a dump truck and a utility work crew.
The Eden Police Department confirmed the incident occurred Thursday afternoon at approximately 1:30 p.m. at the intersection of Church Street, Carroll Street, and Park Road.
According to a news release from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol (NCSHP), 66-year-old Michael Ray Vernon of Eden was operating a 2016 Hino dump truck owned by the City of Eden.
While traveling northbound on Carroll Street, Vernon failed to stop at a posted stop sign at the intersection with Church Street.
The dump truck proceeded through the intersection, striking six pedestrians—utility workers contracted through Carolina Power and Signalization—who were performing powerline work in the area.
The dump truck continued traveling north after striking the pedestrians, colliding with an occupied bucket truck before veering off the road and crashing into a ditch.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies arrived at the scene within minutes. Four of the six pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene.
The deceased have been identified as:
- Douglas Garland Sides, 72, of Summerfield
- Madison Carter, 42, of Sandy Ridge
- William Evans, 35, of Randleman
- Matthew Lockwood, 30, of Winston-Salem
The two surviving pedestrians sustained life-threatening injuries and were airlifted to medical facilities.
They have been identified as:
- Hunter Carter, 24, of Reidsville – transported to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in critical condition
- Kevin Alexander, 34, of Eden – airlifted in stable condition
Cody Rich, 31, of Reidsville, who was inside the bucket truck at the time of the crash, was transported by ground to UNC Health Rockingham with non-life-threatening injuries.
Michael Vernon sustained minor injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
He has been charged with a stop sign violation and misdemeanor death by motor vehicle.
Investigators confirmed that impairment is not believed to have played a role in the crash.
Further charges may be considered as the investigation progresses.
The intersection remained closed for several hours as law enforcement officers and emergency crews conducted their investigation.
The area was reopened to traffic at approximately 10:30 p.m.
In a statement, Duke Energy, which works in coordination with Carolina Power and Signalization, expressed condolences:
“We are saddened about the tragic event that happened today, and our hearts go out to the families and teammates of those involved. The safety of our employees, contractors, and customers is the highest priority at Duke Energy. We are working closely with law enforcement officials.”
The NCSHP continues to lead the investigation, and anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact local authorities.