After months of questions and anxiety in north Durham, police have arrested a 26-year-old Durham man in connection with the March shooting that left local rapper Tevin "Young Boss Tevo" Burney and another man dead inside a car on North Roxboro Street. D'Monte Earl Kinney is now at the center of a double homicide case that rattled nearby neighborhoods and Durham's tight-knit music scene.
Booking and charges
The Durham County Sheriff's Office inmate list shows that Kinney was booked into the county jail on Thursday, June 4. A true bill of indictment in docket 26CR005807 lists two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, conspiracy, and a charge of discharging a weapon into an occupied motor vehicle in operation. According to the online jail record, Kinney is being held without bond, a status that reflects the severity of the accusations.
Shootings and victims
On March 13, officers responding to reports of gunfire found 23-year-old Tevin Devonne Burney, known in local rap circles as Young Boss Tevo, and 26-year-old Jarrett Godfrey shot inside a car in the 3500 block of North Roxboro Street. A woman who was also in the vehicle suffered injuries that were described as non-life-threatening, as reported by The News & Observer.
Burney had built a following as part of Durham rap trio 83 Babies after the group signed with a label in 2019. That early momentum later stalled when group members were linked by authorities to gang activity and to the arrest and life sentence of Antonio "Lil Tony" Davenport Jr. Those connections have since become a key part of how investigators describe the case.
Gang ties and court documents
Court filings reviewed by local reporters say investigators "very much believed" the killings were "gang motivated violence authorized," wording that prosecutors used when asking a judge to seal parts of the court file, according to The News & Observer. Charging documents also state that investigators believe a woman helped Kinney and a second man leave the area within hours of the shootings.
Prosecutors argued that some records should remain restricted because descriptions in the documents raised concerns about possible retaliation. Judges were asked to limit access to those sensitive portions of the case file while the investigation continues.
Next steps for the case
The sheriff's online roster lists Kinney under the indictment entries and notes the no-bond status for docket 26CR005807, mirroring details in the county booking records. Prosecutors and court clerks still need to set formal court calendars, and upcoming pretrial proceedings will determine when arraignment and later hearings are scheduled.
Community reaction and tips
The killings quickly sent a chill through Durham's music community, where Burney had earned a local spotlight, and neighbors along North Roxboro Street said the shootings heightened long-running fears about retaliatory violence. Police have urged anyone with information about the case to contact Durham CrimeStoppers at 919-683-1200 or submit an anonymous tip through Durham CrimeStoppers.
