A North Carolina man could face 35 to 44 years in prison for shooting his girlfriend, a Duke University student, after she refused to be in an “exclusive relationship” with him. The incident occurred shortly after 7 a.m. on October 2, 2023, when the assailant, Stephon Richard Dubose, 32, barged into Angela Marina Risi’s home on Worth Street and shot her eight times and her roommate, Anna Semmes, three times.
Semmes identified the suspect as “Jimmy”. Dubose used the name Jimmy, police informed. Emergency crews rushed both victims to the hospital, but Risi was pronounced dead on arrival. Semmes survived but was left permanently disabled, Local 12 reported.
Stephon Dubose, 30, has been arrested and charged with the murder of Angela Marina Risi that occurred on Worth Street on Oct. 2nd. Risi and another adult female were shot in this incident. Dubose is currently being held in the Durham County Jail with no bond. pic.twitter.com/hy9bEvB3Zr
— DurhamPoliceNC (@TheDurhamPolice) October 6, 2023
According to the victim’s father, Matteo Risi, his daughter was in the suspect’s car before the shooting, arguing about the status of their relationship. While Dubose wanted to be in an exclusive relationship with Angela, the latter refused, Matteo explained. After she left his car, the assailant followed her into their home.
“He broke in, then chased her to the back of the house … fired 11 rounds, shot her eight times, with a 9-millimeter handgun. And then, even more amazingly, he burst into the bedroom of Angela’s roommate and shot her three times. She survived but is permanently disabled,” Matteo told WRAL News.
Dedreana Freeman, a local council member who lived in the neighbourhood, told WTVD that the couple had been arguing for several days. “Things got loud, and everybody could hear it. No one deserves to be killed for differences like that,” Freeman shared.
Shortly after the shooting incident, cops got a call for a stabbing episode on Tranquil Road. Dubose had appeared at his home and began stabbing himself, according to his family. Police arrived on the scene and took away Dubose, who admitted to the crime of shooting a female in the face and said “he couldn’t go back to prison and couldn’t live anymore.”
Dubose pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and attempted murder. A sentencing date has yet to be set for him, according to the latest court documents.
Stephon Dubose arrested for double shooting that killed Duke graduate student Angela Risi.
Risi’s family says she was friends with suspect. pic.twitter.com/KWRbpq4tVy
— National Conservative (@NatCon2022) October 6, 2023
Risi was a second-year graduate student in the Master of Fine Arts in Dance program at Duke. Her father described her as a “wonderful person” who had over 200 people attend her celebration of life. She was passionate about dance, including modern ballet, jazz and tap, according to her obituary. Her family called her “quirky, eccentric, and bursting with intelligence and talent” on her GoFundMe page.
Her father told WRAL News that he was content with the plea deal. “The plea deal that was offered will avoid a trial,” he said. “And 35 years is acceptable to (my wife) and me. Mainly because we won’t be around when he gets out of prison.”
Matteo added, “Our biggest fear is that the memory of our daughter will fade with time,” he said. “Not with us. But, you know, as time passes, with the world. She was an extraordinary young woman. (She) loved life. And we miss her very much.”
