Fayetteville, North Carolina — A tragic incident on October 8, 2025, resulted in the deaths of three E.E. Smith High School football players and left the driver critically injured. The driver, 21-year-old Dymond Nekiya Monroe, has been charged with three counts of involuntary manslaughter, willful speed competition, speeding, careless and reckless driving, and insurance violation.
Monroe was driving a 2024 Honda Civic with three passengers—Trevor Merritt (17), Jai’Hyon Elliott (18), and Nicholas Williams (17)—when the vehicle crashed into a telephone pole on Rosehill Road. The car then veered off the road and collided with a tree. All three passengers died at the scene, while Monroe was airlifted to UNC Chapel Hill in critical condition.
Investigators revealed that Monroe was racing with her younger sister, 19-year-old Destini Rhinada Genwright, who was driving a 2023 Dodge Charger. Genwright has been charged with willful speed competition, speeding, careless and reckless driving, and insurance violation. She is not in custody, and authorities are encouraging her to turn herself in.
The victims were en route to a birthday celebration after football practice when the crash occurred. The E.E. Smith High School community has expressed deep sorrow, with tributes pouring in from students, faculty, and local residents. A vigil was held in their honor, and the school postponed a football game to allow the community to mourn.
Monroe, an Army veteran and mother of a 7-month-old daughter, remains hospitalized. Her mother, Kenisha Lewis, has requested privacy during this difficult time.
The Fayetteville Police Department’s Traffic Unit continues to investigate the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective C. Lewis at (910) 818-1872.
