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Man Sentenced to Life for Killing U.S. Marshal
Lamont Deshawn Byrd, 22, has been sentenced to life in prison for the first-degree murder of Warren Basco ‘Sneak’ Lewis III, a U.S. Marshals Task Force officer.
Byrd pleaded guilty to the crime on August 4, 2014, and was sentenced in federal court in Raleigh, North Carolina, on [date].
The crime occurred on June 9, 2011, in Kinston, North Carolina, when Byrd shot and killed Lewis, who was an investigator with the Nash County Sheriff’s Office and a sworn special deputy U.S. marshal.
The investigation began on June 2, 2011, when officers responded to a shots-fired call and found homicide victim Thomas Terrell Hinton fatally shot in the chest. It was determined that Byrd, along with Kion Tyearl Dail and two juveniles, murdered Hinton and stole his bicycle.
On the day of the murder, law enforcement officers attempted to locate Byrd and his co-defendants, executing a search warrant at 602-A West Lenoir Avenue in Kinston. Although the apartment was empty, two shotguns were found, which were later determined to have been possessed by Byrd.
After a 20-minute standoff, Byrd was heard to utter, ‘See what you made me do?’ as he handed the weapon to another individual to hide. The weapon, a Beretta .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol, was found in a banker’s box in a closet with Byrd’s DNA on it.
‘The death of Special Deputy Lewis is a tragedy for his family and all of us in the law enforcement community,’ said U.S. Attorney Thomas G. Walker. ‘Warren Lewis will always be remembered to us and the entire law enforcement community as a hero and for making the ultimate sacrifice to protect others.’
Byrd’s sentencing brings closure to the Lewis family and the law enforcement community, who suffered a tremendous loss with the death of Investigator Lewis.
‘Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, and they deserve our respect and gratitude,’ said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. ‘The end of this case helps bring justice.’
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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