Everett Maurice Mitchell Jr., a 32-year-old Black man from Beaumont, Texas, was shot and killed during the early morning hours of August 13, 2017. Police were dispatched about 7:29 a.m. to a home in the 5000 block of Brace Drive and found Mitchell lying in the driveway with a gunshot wound to the chest; Beaumont EMS pronounced him dead at the scene. The killing was reported as Beaumont’s 14th homicide of 2017.

Investigators quickly focused on Deremick Jamaal Hunter, described as a longtime friend of Mitchell. Witnesses at the scene identified Hunter as the person who shot Mitchell; witnesses and family members also said Hunter contacted them after the shooting and acknowledged what had happened. Hunter allegedly fled in a 1999 gold Oldsmobile Delta 88, crashed the car a short time later, abandoned it and fled on foot before a relative brought him to the police several hours later. He was arrested and initially charged with murder; a grand jury later indicted him on a first-degree murder charge.

At trial in October 2021 the defense said the killing was accidental, with Hunter testifying the gun discharged while Mitchell was handing it to him.

Does anyone have information about Everett’s life in Beaumont or knew him and his family?