The U.S. Marshals, heading the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force, apprehended 18-year-old Keyon Stephens, who was on the lam, eyed for a Richmond Heights slaying. Stephens was nabbed at a Cleveland residence, concluding a manhunt originating from a September 7, 2024, shooting that left 29-year-old Dewon Que'Shawn Lee dead in a Ruth Ellen Drive apartment parking lot.
After Richmond Heights Police Department disseminated officers to the crime scene last fall, the identification of Stephens as a suspect led to a warrant for his arrest. The U.S. Marshals reported that the cooperation between the task force and local law enforcement facilitated the capture. According to the U.S. Marshals Service press release, U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott affirmed the strength of the partnership, saying, “Our task force continues to have a strong partnership with the Richmond Heights Police Department. Today was another example of our partnership leading to the arrest of a wanted, violent fugitive.”
With Stephens now in custody, authorities continue to encourage anyone with potentially relevant information concerning any wanted fugitive to come forward. The NOVFTF offers reward money and ensures anonymity for those tipsters who may seek it. Civic duty can be carried out via their hotline at 1-866-4WANTED or through a submitted web tip. Updates from the U.S. Marshals can be followed on Twitter via their handle @USMSCleveland.
The alliance that encompasses the NOVFTF is an amalgamation of federal, state, and local law enforcement entities, including the Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, and Ohio State Highway Patrol, among others. Their concerted efforts underscore a communal mission to apprehend those who have evaded the reach of the law, striving to provide a semblance of justice for victims and their families. The full roster of participating agencies can be viewed on the U.S. Marshals Service's official press release.
