Investigators say digital records, witness accounts and ballistic evidence helped lead them to suspect Jamar Lionel Jenkins.
MIAMI, Fla. — More than a year after community activist and business owner Dwight C. Wells was fatally shot outside his Liberty City restaurant, authorities have arrested a 39-year-old man and outlined a series of digital and physical evidence they say connects him to the killing.
Jamar Lionel Jenkins was taken into custody Wednesday by U.S. Marshals and charged with second-degree murder with a weapon in Wells’ Oct. 10, 2025, death. Jenkins was denied bond during a court appearance Thursday. The charge is an allegation, and the case has not been decided in court.
Miami police said investigators relied on several forms of evidence developed during the yearlong investigation. Police Chief Edwin Lopez said detectives examined call records and information obtained during searches of Jenkins’ vehicle and home, along with records associated with his iCloud account. Other reports on the investigation cited cellular activity, geolocation information and witness accounts as evidence reviewed by detectives.
Wells, 40, was playing dominoes with two other people outside Winning and Won Turkey Legs on Northwest 17th Avenue when a gunman approached, opened fire and fled on foot, according to police and arrest records. The shooter was described as wearing dark clothing, including a face covering, hoodie and gloves. Wells was taken to Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he died.
Investigators also recovered five spent cartridge casings at the shooting scene. Authorities said the casings were linked through ballistic evidence to a separate case that involved Jenkins. Police have not said that the ballistic comparison alone established who fired the shots that killed Wells, but it became part of the larger body of evidence detectives used while investigating the homicide.
The case also involved an examination of the relationship between Jenkins and Wells. Police said the two men knew each other, though they were not described as friends. Arrest records indicate detectives interviewed Jenkins during the investigation and continued examining records and other evidence before his arrest. Authorities have not released a complete public account of every investigative step that led to the charge.
The arrest marked a major turn in a case that drew sustained attention in Liberty City. Wells, known by the nickname “Screamer,” was a community activist who worked with young people and promoted efforts aimed at reducing gun violence. His work included the Bikes Up, Guns Down movement, and police officials said he had worked with law enforcement on community engagement and violence-prevention efforts.
Lopez said Wells’ death had an impact beyond his family because of his role in the neighborhood and his work with police. Wells’ relatives had spent the year after his death holding events, speaking publicly about the unsolved case and continuing community programs associated with his legacy. His mother, Mary Brown, expressed relief after learning that an arrest had been made.
The arrest does not end the criminal case. Prosecutors must prove the charge against Jenkins in court, and investigators have continued examining the circumstances surrounding Wells’ death, including a possible motive described in investigative records. Jenkins remained jailed without bond after his initial court appearance.
Author note: Last updated October 16, 2026.