Daylan Ross

Daylan Javell Ross was an 18-year-old with a captivating smile and a humble spirit that could brighten anyone's day. Known to his friends as "Rossi," the young Black man was a 2021 graduate of Malvern High School in Arkansas, where he had been a standout player on the football team. His former coach remembered him as a "lockdown corner" with an unfailingly positive attitude, recalling a time during a close game when Daylan confidently reassured him they would win. Despite the hardship of losing his mother when he was just ten, Daylan maintained a joyful disposition and was a dedicated older brother. His family and friends described him as an inspirational person, and his father said he had a "heart of gold."

The life filled with so much promise was cut short on Thursday, March 10, 2022. Around midnight, two people discovered Daylan’s body lying face down in the grass off Jones Road in Perla, an area just outside Malvern. He had been shot multiple times. The Hot Spring County Sheriff's Department launched a homicide investigation, with Sheriff Mike Cash stating early on that they believed Daylan was the victim of a targeted crime. Adding to the mystery, Daylan's car was found on the other side of town, near the edge of Malvern, shortly before daylight the next morning.

The investigation, led by the Hot Spring County Sheriff's Department with assistance from the Malvern Police Department, moved quickly. Detectives from the Criminal Investigation Division conducted numerous interviews with witnesses and gathered evidence, including video surveillance footage. Within a week, their work pointed toward a primary suspect. On March 17, 2022, authorities publicly identified 19-year-old Brion Brown of Malvern as the person they were seeking in connection with Daylan's death.

After a probable cause affidavit was reviewed, an arrest warrant was issued for Brion Brown. A manhunt ensued, concluding a month later. On April 12, 2022, members of the U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Brown in Pulaski County, taking him into custody without incident. He was subsequently charged with first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, and theft of property for his alleged role in the killing of Daylan Ross.

Following his arrest, Brion Brown was held as he awaited trial. The case, State of Arkansas v. Brion Brown, was initially set to begin in the fall of 2023. However, on September 11, 2023, the prosecutor's office filed a motion for a continuance. The following day, a Hot Spring County Circuit Judge granted the request and rescheduled the proceedings.

As of September 2023, the case remains in the litigation phase. Brion Brown’s jury trial is scheduled to begin on Monday, January 8, 2024, and is expected to last approximately five days. While Daylan's loved ones wait for the justice system to run its course, they hold onto the memory of a remarkable young man whose positive energy and kind heart left a lasting mark on his community.