A 23-year-old Vallejo man was sentenced today to 40 years to life in prison for fatally shooting Javonte Prothro and Chrisean Nealy just three days apart in Richmond in 2016, according to the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office.
Earlier this year, DaWaun Rice pleaded no contest to two counts of murder.
At about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2016, 17-year-old Nealy was found with fatal gunshot wounds at the Bella Vista Apartments at 3400 Richmond Parkway, police said. Three days later, Prothro, 29, was found fatally shot in the parking lot of the Bayview Mart at 1025 S. 47th St.
With help from evidence including video surveillance, Rice was identified as the suspect in Prothro’s murder and arrested. In 2017, a Contra Costa County grand jury returned an indictment against Rice for both the murders of both Nealy and Prothro. Rice had used the same firearm in both murders, prosecutors said.
“Nealy’s death was the result of a drive-by shooting and Prothro was killed from Rice committing a robbery,” prosecutors said.
In a September story, the East Bay Times provided more details surrounding the motives for the murders and additional evidence uncovered in the case.
“Today the families of the two victims were able to address the Court about the tragic loss they have each suffered, as a result of the defendant’s actions,” said Deputy District Attorney Satish Jallepalli, who prosecuted the case. “We hope that seeing the defendant receive this sentence will bring them some much-needed closure and healing.”
