Kevin Powell

Kevin David Powell, an outgoing 21-year-old African-American man with a great smile, was known as a wonderful father who loved his family. His life was tragically ended by gunfire on a summer evening in Durham, North Carolina, a city that in 2016 was experiencing a significant increase in violent crime. Kevin's death became part of a grim tally for the year, leaving his loved ones to navigate a future without him.

On the evening of Monday, July 18, 2016, the Durham Police Department received a call reporting a shooting. Officers were dispatched at 8:43 p.m. to the 1100 block of Linwood Avenue, a residential street in the eastern part of the city. Upon arrival, they discovered Kevin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Despite the immediate response from emergency medical services, Kevin’s injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators quickly determined that the shooting did not appear to be a random act of violence, suggesting Kevin was the intended target.

The Durham Police Department's homicide unit began an intensive investigation. Within weeks, their efforts led to the identification of two suspects. On August 2, 2016, police announced they had obtained murder warrants for Malik Shequan Boyce, then 36, of nearby Bahama, and Larry Lee James, then 38, of Creedmoor. The search for both men was immediately launched.

On August 18, 2016, about a month after the shooting, members of the U.S. Marshals Joint Fugitive Task Force located and arrested Larry Lee James, marking a significant step forward in the case. Malik Shequan Boyce remained a fugitive for a longer period before he was eventually captured and taken into custody. While the arrests provided some measure of relief, the motive for Kevin's murder was not publicly disclosed by authorities, leaving a painful void of understanding for his family and the community.

The case then proceeded through the Durham County court system, where the path to a final resolution would span nearly six years. The legal process revealed complexities that led to outcomes different from the initial charges. Court records indicate that the original murder charges filed against both men were eventually dismissed as part of the legal proceedings.

On February 17, 2020, Malik Shequan Boyce was found guilty of being an accessory after the fact to second-degree murder. This conviction acknowledged his role in the crime following the murder itself. More than two years later, on April 25, 2022, the case against the second defendant concluded. Larry Lee James was found guilty of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder.

While the criminal cases against the two men responsible for their involvement in Kevin’s death are now closed, the full story of what happened on that July night on Linwood Avenue has never been fully illuminated for the public. For the family of Kevin David Powell, the legal conclusions provide a form of accountability, but they do not erase the profound and permanent loss of a young father, son, and loved one. His memory endures for those who knew and loved him.