MILWAUKEE — The pain of unanswered questions still hangs heavy for the family of Damon Lamont Bates — a beloved husband, father and mentor whose life was cut short by gun violence last fall in Milwaukee.
Damon, 49, was shot twice in the leg near 37th and Clarke on October 20, 2024. The bullets struck a major artery. He didn’t survive. To this day, no arrests have been made, and the case remains unsolved.
But to his family, Damon was far more than a name in a file. He was the heartbeat of their home.
"I had an amazing husband — I was blessed,” said his wife, Jaquell Bates, holding back tears as she spoke of the man she loved for over 6 years.
Born March 31, 1975, Damon was known for his warm heart, infectious laugh, and towering presence that belied a soft, giving soul. He was a protector, a provider, and a mentor to neighborhood boys who looked up to him not just as a role model—but as family.
“The impact that he had on them young men — they would call him dad. What does that say?” Jaquell said. “He was a gentle giant. A genuine, great man that was taken from us.”
A skilled contractor by trade, Damon took pride in his work and even more in the people around him. His love for his wife and daughters was fierce. His loyalty to his family and friends never wavered.
Watch: Family of Damon Bates pleads for answers as murder case remains unsolved
On the night of his death, Damon called Jaquell after finishing work, saying he had a few errands and would be home late.
“The last text was that he was meeting up with someone that was talking to him — that was it. There was no more communication — nothing,” Jaquell recalled.
Hours later came the unthinkable. A phone call in the early morning hours.
“Then to get a phone call that I have to go down and identify my husband — and then reality comes, 'could this be true?'”
At 1:42 a.m., Damon was found lying in the street. Despite an ongoing investigation by Milwaukee Police, no one has been held accountable.
“Please don’t let them give up. Don’t give up on my husband. Don’t give up on this case,” Jaquell pleaded. “There’s got to be something out there. What else are we missing? What else can we do?”
Through the grief, she continues to fight — not just for justice, but to preserve the dignity of her husband’s life.
“I would love to get a phone call with the news that we got him. Just to hear that we got them.”
Damon’s name now joins too many others on Milwaukee’s growing list of unsolved homicides. Anyone with information about the murder of Damon Bates is urged to contact Milwaukee Police or Crime Stoppers at 414-224-TIPS. Tipsters can remain anonymous.
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