Former Jaguar guard Monroe dies in Washington, D.C.
By Justin Gray | Sports editor
Former Augusta University men’s basketball player Tyvez Monroe died on Tuesday, Dec. 26.
His death has been ruled a homicide after police officers arrived on the scene early Tuesday morning outside the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station in Washington, D.C., to find Monroe with gunshot wounds. He was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died. The Metro stop, at 600 Maryland Ave. SW, is near the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall.
The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department reported that the suspect has not been found. Surveillance cameras captured an image of the suspect, and the search for him is ongoing, D.C. police said.
The 27-year-old Monroe graduated from Augusta University with a bachelor’s degree in communication in December 2019.
Aaron Byrd, one of Monroe’s AU teammates, first posted news of his death on social media on Tuesday, spreading shock in the Jaguar men’s basketball program community.
The Alexandria, Va., native made his mark on the basketball court, writing his name in nearly all of the program's record books, and was a good teammate and classmate.
Monroe finished his career 24th in all-time scoring (1,220), 17th in rebounding (574), seventh in three-pointers made (226) and 14th in assists (288).
AU Coach Dip Metress praised Monroe for his competitive spirit.
“He was one of the most competitive players I have ever coached,” Metress wrote on Twitter. “He’s gone far too soon. Once a Jaguar, always a Jaguar.”
Prior to his death, Monroe was working as a security officer at Allied Universal in the D.C. area.
Update: According to the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department, the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force has arrested 36-year-old Deonte Vondell Spicer of Washington. Spicer has been charged with first degree murder while armed in connection with the homicide of Tyvez Monroe, who has been identified as the decedent from Tuesday’s shooting outside the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station in Southwest Washington.
Contact Justin Gray at jusgray@augusta.edu.
Tyvez Monroe (13) talks to Augusta basketball media personality Chad Cook after the Jaguars had upset South Carolina in an exhibition game at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, S.C., in October 2018. Freshman Tyree Myers (2) had made key free throws down the stretch for AU. At the top of the page, Monroe goes up for two of more than 1,200 points for the Jaguars. (staff photos)
