Jerod J. Lewis was a dedicated family man, a proud U.S. Navy Reservist, and a beloved member of his Memphis, Tennessee, community. The 25-year-old Black man, known to some as "King Rod," was a 2005 graduate of Craigmont High School who went on to graduate from Vatterott College. Family meant everything to Jerod; he was a committed father to his son, Jeramiah, and spent much of his time with his parents, Jo Ann and Darrell Lewis, and his extended family. He also mentored members of his church. His loved ones remember him as respectable, kind, and handsome. His father recalled how Jerod was a big Dallas Cowboys fan and cherished watching the games with him.
Just one week after celebrating his 25th birthday while finishing his two weeks of military duty, Jerod’s life was senselessly taken. On the night of Friday, August 3, 2012, at approximately 11:40 p.m., Jerod was driving his gold, four-door 1995 Infiniti J30 northbound on Perkins Avenue near the I-240 interchange.
In a sudden act of violence, he was shot. Memphis Police officers responded to a call and found the petty officer inside his vehicle, suffering from a critical gunshot wound. He was rushed to the Regional Medical Center, but despite the efforts of medical staff, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
The Memphis Police Department classified Jerod’s death as a homicide and launched an investigation, but the case quickly grew cold. No motive for the shooting has ever been established, and no suspects have been publicly identified. Investigators have appealed to the public for any information that could help them piece together the events of that tragic night. The lack of answers has left Jerod's family in a state of prolonged grief and uncertainty. His son, Jeramiah, was only five months old when his father was killed. "He's two years old now and he's never going to have his dad," his mother, Jo Ann, said in an interview two years after the murder.
The pain of Jerod's absence is a constant for his family. "We are having nightmares about it, and we want to know what happened," his mother shared. His father, Darrell, added, "Wishing that he could be here to enjoy Christmas with everybody. Especially his son. It's been tough." Holidays and special days like Memorial Day, Veterans' Day, and Jerod's birthday in July are particularly difficult reminders of their loss. "Although there probably will never be peace, there will be some peace within some people if someone would come forth who knows something," Darrell said.
In her son's memory and in an effort to combat the violence that took his life, Jo Ann Lewis founded The Jerod House Inc., an organization dedicated to preventing youth violence through community awareness programs. She felt a need to address the issue, believing it was likely a young person who was responsible for her son’s death. "Undoubtedly, it was a youth... however we really don't know who the culprit is nor do we know why," she wrote. "Nonetheless the end result is a life was taken away senselessly."
Years later, the case remains unsolved, and the investigation is ongoing. Desperate for a breakthrough, Jerod's family has offered a $10,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest, in addition to the $1,000 offered by CrimeStoppers. His family and homicide investigators continue to plead for anyone with information to come forward. "I know I won't get him back, but at least knowing that we can have some type of closure," Jo Ann said. Anyone who can help is urged to call CrimeStoppers at 901-528-CASH.
