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Left: Stephon Dubose (Durham police). Right: Angela Risi (Legacy.com).
A North Carolina resident is facing a lengthy prison sentence after violently entering his girlfriend’s home, resulting in her death and her roommate’s injury. The tragic incident was sparked by the girlfriend’s decision not to pursue an “exclusive relationship” with him.
Stephon Dubose, aged 32, has confessed to charges of second-degree murder and attempted murder linked to the fatal shooting of 30-year-old Angela Marina Risi in Durham. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Dubose is expected to receive a sentence ranging from 35 to 44 years in prison.
Authorities were called to a residence on the 1000 block of Worth Street shortly after 7 a.m. on October 2, 2023, in response to a reported shooting. Upon arrival, they discovered Risi suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. In another room, her roommate was also found injured by gunfire. Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital, where medical professionals declared Risi deceased.
The surviving roommate informed the police that “Jimmy” was responsible for the attack. According to police, “Jimmy” is a nickname used by Dubose.
Approximately 30 minutes after the shooting, officers were dispatched to a home on the 4000 block of Tranquil Road, responding to a stabbing incident. Dubose had arrived at a family member’s house and began inflicting stab wounds on himself, leading them to contact emergency services. Responding officers managed to disarm him. According to an affidavit related to the search warrant, Dubose admitted to the officers that he had “shot a female in the face,” expressing a desire to avoid returning to prison and indicating he could not continue living.
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.