by | Published
In a verdict reached today, a Bexar County jury found 31-year-old Quentin Phillips guilty for the October 2017 murder of four-year-old De'Earlvion Whitely. The tragic incident, resulting from gang violence, occurred in a drive-by shooting on the east side of San Antonio.
The shooting transpired minutes before midnight on July 19, 2017, when over 60 shots were fired into a residence. Inside were young De'Earlvion, his father Earl Whitley, Jr., mother Cyntwanisha Marshall, and his older brother. Cyntwanisha Marshall sustained two gunshot wounds to her leg, while De'Earlvion lost his life instantly after being struck by a single bullet while playing a video game with his brother.
Quentin Phillips, identified as the driver of the vehicle from which the shots were fired, was found guilty by the jury. Two co-defendants, Terrell Chase and John Chatman, allegedly fired the shots. Terrell Chase has already been sentenced to life in prison for his role in the offense.
The drive-by shooting was reportedly in retaliation for an earlier attack that afternoon, mistakenly attributed to Earl Whitley, Jr., De'Earlvion's father. A joint law enforcement operation, involving the FBI and the San Antonio Police Department, aimed at curbing escalating neighborhood violence on the East Side, led to the arrests of Quentin Phillips and his co-defendants in 2020.
The punishment phase of Quentin Phillips' trial is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
UPDATE: Phillips was sentenced to 70 years in prison.
