Authorities have charged 35-year-old June Antoinette James with felony murder in the death of her fiancé, Devon LaRoyce Shade, whose body was discovered in a wooded area off McNutt Road in April.
Victim Found After Days in Woods
Shade, 32, was found deceased on April 17, though Richmond County Coroner Mark Bowen confirmed his body had likely been there for several days. An autopsy revealed he died from at least one gunshot wound, ruling the case a homicide.
Investigators say Shade and James lived together, and the case took a critical turn after James allegedly accused Shade of exchanging inappropriate messages with her daughter, raising suspicions of a possible sexual relationship. The allegation remains unconfirmed but appears central to the investigation.
A Life Cut Short: Who Was Devon Shade?
Born in Savannah and raised in Augusta and Jefferson County, Shade was a well-known figure in his community. Nicknamed “Shade,” he was a standout athlete at Jefferson County High School, playing both basketball and football. During his junior year, he was baptized at Roberson Grove Missionary Baptist Church in Waynesboro, where he occasionally served as an usher, according to The Jail Report.
After earning a football scholarship to Albany State University, he later obtained his commercial driver’s license in Ohio and worked as a long-haul truck driver. A passionate car enthusiast, Shade was active in the Augusta Chapter of the Crown Vic Boys, often sharing custom steering wheel designs online.
A Grieving Son’s Heartbreaking Message
Shade leaves behind his parents, siblings, paternal grandmother, and his 11-year-old son, Xavier Tilghman, who referred to his father as “Mini-Me.” In a touching tribute on Shade’s obituary page, Xavier wrote:…