FLINT, MI — A Genesee County jury has convicted Deandre Montrell Arrington in a 2020 Flint shooting that killed 45-year-old Belinda Hart and her 9-month-old grandson, Romelo Jones Jr. Prosecutors said Arrington was found guilty as charged on two counts of first-degree premeditated murder and multiple other weapons and fleeing charges tied to the attack.
The Facts
- What: A jury convicted Arrington in a shooting that killed Hart and her grandson.
- Where: The shooting happened at a home in Flint, and police later stopped a white SUV on North Street.
- When: The killings happened in 2020; the conviction was announced after the jury verdict this week.
- Who: Deandre Montrell Arrington, 32, of Flint, was convicted in Genesee County Circuit Court; the victims were Belinda Hart and Romelo Jones Jr.
- Charges: Two counts of first-degree premeditated murder, plus counts including discharge of a firearm from a vehicle causing death, discharge of a firearm in or at a building causing death, felon in possession of a firearm, carrying a concealed weapon, third-degree fleeing and eluding, resisting and obstructing a police officer, and eight felony-firearm counts.
- Status: Arrington is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 11, 2027.
What police say
Genesee County prosecutors said testimony at trial and police reports showed Flint officers found Hart dead inside the home from gunshot wounds. Romelo Jones Jr. was also shot and later pronounced dead at Hurley Medical Center.
Investigators said more than 100 shell casings were recovered from the street outside the home. Prosecutors said the shooting was retaliation for an earlier homicide, based on the evidence presented to the jury.
Authorities also said the shots were fired from a white SUV. A Michigan State Police trooper spotted that vehicle and chased it until it stopped on North Street.
Prosecutors said Arrington got out of the driver’s side and ran. He was arrested after a short foot chase, and a police dog later tracked the route and found three firearms.
The investigation
The case relied on witness testimony, physical evidence from the scene and the pursuit that followed, according to prosecutors. In homicide cases, investigators often work to connect shell casings, recovered weapons and vehicle movements to establish who fired the shots and how the suspects fled.
The recovery of more than 100 shell casings suggests a high-volume shooting scene, which can help investigators map the direction of fire and the positions of vehicles or shooters. Trooper observations, the foot chase and the dog track added to the chain of events that prosecutors presented in court.
Police did not say in the released details whether anyone else is being sought in connection with the case. No tip line was provided in the announcement from the prosecutor’s office.
What the charges mean
First-degree premeditated murder is the most serious homicide charge in Michigan. A conviction can carry a mandatory sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole.
The other charges reflect separate allegations tied to the same incident. Firearm offenses can add mandatory penalties, while charges such as fleeing and eluding or resisting and obstructing a police officer address conduct during an attempted escape or arrest.
When several counts are filed together, a judge can impose separate punishments if the law allows. In a case like this, sentencing also gives the court an opportunity to apply any required firearm terms and formalize the final judgment.
What happens next
Arrington is set for sentencing on Jan. 11, 2027. At that hearing, the judge is expected to impose sentence on the convictions returned by the jury and address the mandatory penalties attached to the murder counts.
After sentencing, the case can move into the appeals process, where a defendant may challenge the verdict or legal rulings made before or during trial. Those steps do not change the conviction unless a higher court finds a legal error.
Have information on a crime? Contact local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS).
