Forensic evidence connects Lexington murder suspect to another fatal shooting, police say

Forensic evidence and other pieces of evidence pinned an already-incarcerated man as the killer in a fatal shooting that happened in December 2021, according to police testimony made in court Friday.

Deonte Carter, 25, has been charged with murder for the death of 21-year-old Devon Sandusky, police said. Carter was already incarcerated at the Fayette County Detention Center for a separate murder charge and other unrelated robbery charges when he was officially charged in the death of Sandusky. Carter had a preliminary hearing Friday for his most recent murder charge.

Lexington police said on Dec. 17, 2021, officers were called to the 800 block of Oak Hill Drive, off Loudon Avenue, at 10:56 p.m. for unknown reasons. When they arrived, police found Sandusky dead at a residence from a gunshot wound.

According to Detective Tim Moore with the Lexington Police Department, multiple items of evidence helped identify Carter as the shooter. The evidence included social media interactions and forensic evidence.

Testifying during the preliminary hearing Friday, Moore said a bullet extracted from Sandusky’s head matched with a gun that Carter possessed when he was previously arrested. Carter also had possession of the car he used to drive away from the scene when he was detained less than one month after the shooting, Moore said.

Carter admitted to knowing Sandusky and having a relationship centered around narcotics, according to Moore.

The house where the shooting occurred was owned by a family member, Moore said in court. The owner was not home at the time of the shooting but other family members were.

The other family members told investigators they did not see or hear anything regarding the shooting, Moore said. Weapons were found inside the home but there weren’t any on Sandusky’s person, according to Moore.

On Jan. 11, Carter was arrested on unrelated robbery charges. Just over two weeks later Lexington police said Carter had been charged with murder for the death of Kobby Martin, 26, who was allegedly shot and killed by Carter just four days before his arrest.

Court records say forensic detectives gained access to Carter’s vehicle, which was reportedly stolen, and found a large amount of blood in the back seat. The blood matched the standard for Martin, according to forensic testing.

Electronic evidence, such as phone calls, text messages and location data also connected Carter to the crime, according to court documents.

The case was ultimately sent to a grand jury by Fayette District Judge Melissa Murphy. Carter’s bond was not addressed, which stands at $750,000 each for both of the murder charges and $5,000 for one of the robbery charges, according to jail records.

A grand jury will determine whether there is enough evidence to indict Carter in Sandusky’s death, which would send his case to Fayette Circuit Court, where a trial could take place.

Carter was indicted in his other murder case in April 2022, according to court records. His next court appearance in that case will be on Jan. 17 for a status hearing.