More than four years after Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy Devante Jones was gunned down in a Detroit parking lot, the long running homicide case involving four Detroit men is finally approaching full resolution. With three defendants already sentenced and the final defendant scheduled for sentencing in early December, the case that began in September 2021 is entering its final stages.
Deputy Jones, 23, was shot and killed on September 20, 2021 near East Forest Avenue and the Chrysler Service Drive. Jones had been dropping someone off at the location when multiple shots were fired into his vehicle. He attempted to flee but was struck several times and later died at Detroit Receiving Hospital. Investigators later noted that Jones had been texting with one of the suspects shortly before the shooting, a detail that factored into the early stages of the case.
The killing triggered a multi-state investigation that saw Detroit Police and federal partners execute nine search warrants across Michigan, Ohio and Georgia, ultimately arresting four suspects: Malikk Williams, Gregory Freeman, Christion White and Kevin White.
All four were originally charged with first degree murder and felony firearm.
Three of Four Defendants Now Sentenced
Over the past year, the cases have steadily moved toward conclusion.
- Malikk Cameron Williams pled guilty to second degree murder and felony firearm. He was sentenced on April 30, 2025 to 16–40 years, plus a mandatory 2-year consecutive firearm term.
- Gregory Freeman followed the same path, also receiving 16–40 years plus 2 years on April 30, 2025.
- Christion Bernard White, who spent nearly two years in pretrial detention, was most recently sentenced on November 7, 2025. His terms match the others: 16–40 years for second degree murder and 2 additional years for felony firearm.
These three sentences mark major milestones in a case that has lingered since early 2022.
Final Defendant Takes Plea Deal, First Degree Charge Dropped
The remaining defendant, Kevin Bernard White, reached a plea agreement on September 25, 2025.
As part of that deal:
- His first degree murder charge was dismissed
- He pled guilty to second degree murder
- He pled guilty to felony firearm
In other words, prosecutors agreed to drop the top charge in exchange for guaranteed convictions on the lesser but still severe counts. His sentencing is set for December 4, 2025 at 9:30 a.m. before Judge Kelly Ramsey. His sentence is expected to fall in line with the other three defendants.
A Case That Spanned Four Years
From the September 2021 killing, to the January 2022 first announcements of charges, through multiple hearings, plea negotiations, and jury phases, this case has stretched across four full years of court activity. With Kevin White’s sentencing now scheduled, the case is finally closing in on a complete conclusion.
For the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office, for Deputy Jones’s family, and for the community, the approaching final sentencing marks the near end of a long and painful chapter.
