In the pre-dawn hours of May 17, 2024, the quiet streets of Minneapolis were shattered by gunfire, marking the beginning of a chilling crime that would unravel a tale of betrayal, desperation, and cold-blooded murder. At the heart of this tragedy was 28-year-old Da’Vonte Jovan Adams, a young man whose life was cut short in a violent encounter on the 2200 block of 5th Avenue North. What began as a seemingly innocuous meeting arranged through a dating app spiraled into a deadly ambush, leaving a community reeling and investigators piecing together a web of forensic evidence, surveillance footage, and confessions that would ultimately bring justice to the perpetrators.
It was 4:43 a.m. when Minneapolis police received a frantic 911 call reporting shots fired. Officers rushed to the scene, where they found Adams sprawled on the pavement, his body riddled with gunshot wounds to his face, neck, chest, and torso. The severity of his injuries was staggering, and despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, Adams succumbed to his wounds, leaving behind a grieving family and a case that demanded answers. Witnesses described a heated argument between a man and a woman just moments before the gunfire erupted, followed by a man’s desperate cries for help. One caller reported seeing the pair flee the scene in Adams’ Chevy Suburban, a critical detail that would soon become a cornerstone of the investigation.
Two days later, on May 19, police recovered Adams’ stolen SUV, a discovery that yielded a treasure trove of forensic evidence. DNA traces found inside the vehicle pointed directly to two suspects: 28-year-old Vernon Sirhyde Archie and 25-year-old Megan Renee Karjala. The case was beginning to take shape, but it was a second incident, just a day later, that would propel the investigation forward. On May 20, St. Paul police responded to reports of shots fired on Isabel Street, where they encountered Archie and Karjala near a stolen Honda SUV. A search of the vehicle revealed a chilling arsenal: two loaded handguns—a .45-caliber and a .380-caliber—alongside ammunition, illicit drugs, and burglary tools. Ballistics testing delivered the breakthrough investigators needed: the .45-caliber firearm was confirmed as the weapon used to kill Adams.
As detectives dug deeper, surveillance footage from the night of the murder painted a haunting picture. The grainy video captured Archie and Karjala, both clad in ski masks, prowling opposite sides of the street with predatory intent. Moments later, Adams pulled up in his Chevy Suburban, unaware of the trap awaiting him. Karjala, who had orchestrated the meeting through a dating app, slid into the passenger seat. What followed was a sudden eruption of violence—gunfire that shattered the early morning calm and left Adams fighting for his life.
In police interviews, Karjala’s confession laid bare the motive behind the crime: desperation for money. She admitted that she and Archie, guided by a friend’s instructions on stealing vehicles, saw Adams as an easy target. Their plan was simple but sinister—lure him to a meeting, steal his keys, and take his SUV. But when Adams resisted and fled, the situation escalated. Archie, armed with the .45-caliber handgun, chased him down and fired multiple shots, delivering the fatal wounds. Karjala, too, played an active role, confessing to pointing her .380-caliber pistol at Adams during the chaotic encounter.
The wheels of justice began to turn swiftly. Both suspects were charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder, but their paths in the courtroom diverged. On April 15, 2025, Karjala struck a deal, pleading guilty to aggravated robbery in exchange for testifying against Archie. Her testimony proved damning, providing prosecutors with a firsthand account of the deadly plot. On July 18, Archie faced the consequences of his actions, convicted on two counts of second-degree murder. Now, he awaits sentencing on September 11, facing up to 40 years behind bars—a punishment that reflects the gravity of his crime.
Karjala’s fate was sealed on August 12, when she was convicted of first-degree aggravated robbery. Her sentence of 4.75 years in prison, with credit for 183 days already served, marked the final chapter in a case that exposed the devastating consequences of greed and betrayal.
What began as a seemingly routine meeting orchestrated through a dating app ended in a deadly ambush that claimed Da’Vonte Jovan Adams’ life. The stolen Chevy Suburban, the incriminating DNA, the damning ballistics, and the chilling surveillance footage all wove together a narrative of calculated violence. Through the tireless efforts of Minneapolis and St. Paul police, and the weight of irrefutable evidence, Archie and Karjala were brought to justice, ensuring that Adams’ death would not go unpunished. Yet, as the gavel falls and sentences are handed down, the loss of a young life remains a stark reminder of the fragility of trust and the devastating cost of desperation.
