By james art Beaumont — A Jefferson County grand jury has indicted three suspects in the fatal slaying of 39-year-old Ebony Gilbert, a case Beaumont police described as a brutal, cold-blooded killing captured on home surveillance camera when the young woman interrupted the suspects who were robbing her car.
A grand jury indicted D’Corey Shilow, 21, Javonta Turner, 21, and Tydrick Davis, 20, with first degree murder.
Investigators are naming D’Cory Shilow as the accused shooter. The chilling images were captured on Ring Doorbell Camera video, according to probable cause for their arrests. The time stamp shows Thursday, September 26 around 8:00 p.m., when the suspects are accused of stealing Gilbert’s car outside her home on Bennett Street. Investigators say the video shows Gilbert going outside to see what was going on when a gunman, who they identified as Shilow, is seen on the video shooting her. Beaumont police say she struggled to get back into her home, but collapsed and died.
Ebony’s mother went to the home that Friday afternoon to check on Ebony when she couldn’t reach her. Then she saw something no mother should have to endure – her daughter’s body.
An unspeakable tragedy experienced by her mother twice already. In 2008, she went to check on her other daughter in Orange and found her body. She had died of a heart attack.
Neighbors are shocked by Ebony’s murder. Family members tell KFDM they remember Ebony for her beauty and smile. Everyone describes Ebony as radiant and loving, a woman who would do anything for her loved ones.
KFDM/Fox 4 News obtained probable cause affidavits from Magistrate Mark Derwan and Justice of the Peace Ben Collins Sr. for the arrest of the three suspects. Court documents show 21-year-old D’Cory Shilow admitted his involvement in the shooting and provided details about Gilbert’s murder, including naming Turner and Davis as co-accused. According to court documents, Shilow also admitted to giving the clothes he was wearing at the time of the killing to Javonta Turner, 21. BPD detectives say they found the clothes when they executed a search warrant Sunday at a residence in 4000 block of Maida, where they arrested Turner, who is now charged with murder. Davis’ arrest affidavit states that he confided in a witness that he was with Shilow and Turner and was present at the scene when the murder occurred. Court documents show all three men were involved in a carjacking at Gilbert’s home that led to her murder.
Judge Raquel West set Shilow’s bail at $750,000.
Justice of the Peace Mark Derwan set Turner’s bond at $800,000 and ordered him to wear a GPS monitor, remain in Jefferson County and have no contact with the co-defendants.
Davis’ bond is set at $800,000.
D’Cory Shilow’s mother turned him in that Saturday, according to police, and as officers escorted Shilow down the back stairs of Beaumont Police Department headquarters to the jail, he spoke to KFDM/Fox 4 News.
When KFDM asked Shilow if he had anything to say and if he wanted to explain what happened, he told us “I mean, I would, but it doesn’t make sense.” We asked him why they were allegedly robbing cars and if they were looking for money. He said “no, I have money in my pocket.” We asked why it was the burglary and he said “I don’t know”. We asked if they planned it or if they just picked the house and he said “I don’t know”. We asked if he had anything to say to her mother, who found the body, and he said: “I’m sorry for your loss, Miss Ebony.” He also said “I’m not a punk”. As he got into the police car, he told us, “I’m not a monster.”
KFDM was at BPD headquarters in the early evening of Sunday, September 29, when police escorted Turner down the steps to a waiting squad car for the trip to the jail. He denied having anything to do with the murder, using a string of expletives for Shilow, identifying him as a suspect. When we asked him if he had anything to say to Ebony Gilbert’s mother and family, he told us no, but apologized to his own family for what he was putting them through.
KFDM: Were you involved in that? Are there other people involved?
Turner: “No, I have nothing to do with it, man.”
KFDM: Were you there at the location, at the house?
Turner: “No.”
KFDM: Anything else to say to the family? Anything else to say? Your last chance. Something to say to Ebony or her mother?
Turner: “No, I still have something to tell my family. I apologize for putting them through this cu——. I’m done talking.’
A beautiful, caring, loving daughter, niece, cousin and friend. Some of the memories Gilbert’s family, friends and other loved ones have shared with KFDM, so you’ll understand why she matters.
“She was a very good person,” said Ebony’s neighbor, Tyson Henry. “She made Christmas for my kids last year and with everything we needed she tried to help us.”
Now, Ebony’s family and friends are coming together to support each other, remembering her love of family, church, travel and beautiful clothes.
Ebony was a factory operator in Orange and was in school to improve her life. A life taken at just 39 years old.