Durham Man Awaiting Murder Trial Charged In Another Killing
A Durham man already in jail awaiting trial for murder has been arrested and charged with a second murder.
Investigators arrested Deshaun Moshea "Smoke" Mitchell, 21, of Dearborn Drive, Thursday morning at the Durham County Jail and charged him with murder in the January 25, 2004, shooting death of 30-year-old Arturo Lorenzo Peaks. Peaks was shot multiple times in the torso in the 700 block of Eva Street. Investigators believe the shooting was gang-related.
Mitchell is also one of four men charged earlier this year with murder in the May 6, 2004, shooting death of 22-year-old Reginald Johnson on Weaver Street.
Three of the four men charged with murder in Johnson's death -- Mario Fortune, 23, of 1012 Franklin St.; Joshua "Juicy" Lamont Johnson, 17, of 301 South Elm St.; and Tyrone Dean, 19, of 200 West Geer St. -- were arrested in May when Durham police investigators raided a Crip gang hangout at 719 Holloway St. Mitchell was arrested in June in Chapel Hill.
So far this year, Durham police homicide investigators have cleared 26 out of 28 homicides and have solved seven cold case homicides from previous years.
