Family of Louisville man killed in 2019 posts billboard in hopes of finding the shooter

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Louisville family is turning to billboards to find the person who killed their son.

In the early morning hours of May 21, 2019, Deontae Yarnell was gunned down near a car at the Parkway Place public housing complex off 13th Street and Brashear Drive.

His mother, Stephanie Yarnell, has continued to look for justice for her son. After four years, she is appealing to the public for help.

"That is the most hurtful thing that you can ever see, just blood everywhere It’s the worst thing that could possibly happen" said Yarnell

A new billboard is up on on Seventh Street with Deontae's picture that asks, "Know who killed me? Call 574-LMPD. Deontae "Chow" Yarnell, murdered 5/21/19, 1600 block of South 13th Street."

"We aren't going to forget the day that this happened, I mean never. We want to know what happened. We want justice, and I promised her, and I am going to stay with it" said Tenesha Marshall Yarnell's aunt.

The night of his murder wasn't the first time Deontae Yarnell was shot. Six months earlier, he was hit four times by bullets and survived. In the same incident, his longtime friend Ralph Jefferies was killed.

"Sometimes you have to make a statement, and this was the statement that I chose to show everyone, and do this for his mom to say hey we are still around, we aren't going to forgot the day that this happened "

Public court records show Deontae Yarnell was acquitted of murder in 2017. He shot 18-year-old Deandrae Murphy after a home break-in.

He was convicted of reckless homicide, a lesser charge, and spent very little time in jail.

Detectives told WDRB in 2019 that they did not believe Deontae Yarnell's shooting was a revenge for Murphy's death.

Stephanie Yarnell is calling on LMPD now. "They put everything else on their page on Facebook announce everything else, but they can't announce these unsolved murders."

Louisville Metro Police declined an interview for this story. A spokesman released a statement that said, "The case you are referring to is still and open and active investigation. We continue to ask for the public’s help. Anyone with any information is asked to call the anonymous Crime Tip Hotline at 502-574-LMPD (5673) or utilize the online Crime Tip portal at LMPD Crime Tip Portal."