Left: Stephon Dubose (Durham police). Right: Angela Risi (Legacy.com).
A North Carolina tragedy has reached a grim conclusion as a man faces a lengthy prison sentence for a violent outburst that ended in murder. Stephon Dubose, aged 32, has admitted to the second-degree murder of Angela Marina Risi, a 30-year-old woman from Durham. The violent episode, fueled by Dubose’s anger over Risi’s refusal to commit to an exclusive relationship, also left her roommate injured. Under a plea agreement, Dubose is set to serve between 35 and 44 years in prison.
Authorities were alerted to the harrowing scene on the morning of October 2, 2023. Responding to reports of a shooting at a residence on the 1000 block of Worth Street, police officers discovered Risi with multiple gunshot wounds. Nearby, in a bedroom, her roommate was found similarly injured. Both women were rushed to the hospital, where Risi was ultimately pronounced dead.
The surviving roommate identified their assailant as “Jimmy,” a name that Dubose is known by, according to police. Mere minutes following the shooting, another emergency call directed officers to the 4000 block of Tranquil Road. There, Dubose was discovered at his family’s home in the midst of a self-inflicted stabbing episode. Family members, alarmed by his actions, had called for help. Officers managed to disarm Dubose, who reportedly confessed to shooting a woman and expressed a desire to avoid returning to prison, stating he could not continue living.
Further insight into the tragic events was provided by Risi’s father, Matteo Risi, in an interview with local NBC affiliate WRAL. He recounted that just before the shooting, Angela and Dubose were having a heated discussion inside Dubose’s car. The argument centered on Dubose’s desire for an exclusive relationship, which Angela declined. Following the dispute, she exited the vehicle and returned to her home, unaware of the impending danger.
About a half hour after the shooting, officers responded to a home in the 4000 block of Tranquil Road for a stabbing. Dubose showed up at his family’s home and began stabbing himself, prompting them to call 911. Officers responded and were able to get the knife away from him. Dubose told the cops he just “shot a female in the face and wasn’t going back to prison and couldn’t live anymore,” an affidavit for a search warrant said.
Risi’s father, Matteo Risi, told local NBC affiliate WRAL that moments before his daughter was murdered, she and Dubose were in the suspect’s car where they argued over the future of their relationship. Dubose wanted an “exclusive relationship” but she didn’t want that, her father explained. She left his car and went into her home.
“He broke in, then chased her to the back of the house … fired 11 rounds, shot her eight times, with a handgun, 9-millimeter handgun. And then, even more amazing, is he then burst into the bedroom of Angela’s roommate and shot her three times. She survived but is permanently disabled.”
Matteo Risi called his daughter a “really wonderful person.”
“Very bright, very smart, always fun,” he said in an interview with WRAL. “At her celebration of life, there were well over 200 people who attended and many more who wanted to come as well.”
Angela Risi was a second-year graduate student in the dance program at Duke University, the school told local ABC affiliate WTVD at the time.
“The Duke community joins in their shock and sadness at this tragic loss,” the school said in a statement.
City council member Dedreana Freeman who lived next door to the victims told WTVD that the couple had been arguing in the days leading up to the murder.
“No one deserves to be killed for differences like that. They had an argument Friday. Things got loud and everybody could hear it. Whatever it was on Monday for you to come back and shoot, shouldn’t have happened,” she said.
The murder victim grew up in California where she developed a passion for dance.
“She started young with ballet, modern, jazz, and tap dance,” her obituary said.
A sentencing date for Dubose has yet to be set.
