Shanna Lowery’s three-year battle for justice finally heads to court, where the man accused of killing her son, Lil Jbo, faces trial.
After nearly three years of waiting for justice in the North Carolina rapper’s murder case, Lil Jebo’s family finally got their day in court.
As the trial of 27-year-old Chamberlain Oxendine begins this week in the Robeson County Courthouse, Lil Jbo’s mother, Shanna Lowery, has made it clear she won’t back down and will fight to the end.
Lowery sat in the courtroom, surrounded by family, ready to hear every detail of what happened to her 20-year-old son that night in June 2023.
When Lil Jbo was killed, the pain of losing him didn’t stop. As Oxendine’s legal team continued to press for Lowery’s release, Lowery had to endure four separate bail hearings, forcing his family to relive the trauma over and over again.
“With 90 days until court, why do the mother and the family have to keep coming over and reliving this situation, is that fair?” she asked in an interview.
Repeated court dates took an emotional toll on everyone, but Lowery refused to let the system wear her down.
According to WPDE, prosecutors are building their case based on DNA evidence, claiming that Lil Jbo’s DNA was not found on the weapon that Oxendine claims the rapper pointed at him.
The defense argued self-defense, saying Oxendine fired the gun to protect himself and his brother during the confrontation.
The trial is expected to last two weeks, with more than 20 witnesses taking the stand and jurors seeing surveillance footage from where the shooting occurred and hearing audio recordings.
What makes this case even more personal is that Lil Jbo left behind three children who will grow up without a father.
The city of Lumberton recognized his impact by designating June 27 as Tazarie Butler Day to honor the young artist who rose to prominence in the local music scene before the end of his life.
While the delays and setbacks in the case could be heartbreaking for anyone, the family’s determination to seek justice puts the case in the spotlight.
