Man Who Killed Two Women in Gas Station Sentenced to 45 Years to Life

The sentencing details for the man found guilty of the shooting deaths of two women inside of an SUV at a Dayton, Ohio, gas station in 2023 have been revealed.

Deante Holden (34) received a 45-years-to-life sentence on Wednesday, August 21st, for the murders of Felicia Brown (38) and Michaela Daniels (44).

The criminal trial of Holden, who faced several charges of felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and murder, began on July 22nd. On Thursday, the 25th, the jury found the defendant guilty on every count.

Last February, the bodies of Brown and Daniels were discovered in an SUV at the Shell gas station on West Third Street.

On February 26th, a store clerk set off a silent alarm, which led to the deployment of Dayton police.  The cashier pointed the way to a black Chevy Suburban positioned at one of the pumps when they arrived. Inside the vehicle, authorities discovered  Daniels and Brown. Police investigated and found they were shot and soon after declared them deceased.

The SUV was seen on a security camera pulling up to the gas station, which the police were able to use as evidence. Investigators said that the two women had given Hoden a ride.  According to the police, footage showed Holden coming out of the backseat after what seemed like an altercation occurred inside the car. Evidence showed that he then proceeded to repeatedly shoot into the SUV. 

According to court documents, Holden fled the scene of the crime but subsequently returned to pick up the victims’ cell phones as well as the bullet casings. 

During the sentencing hearing, Michaela’s father, Mike Daniels, gave a victim impact statement. He told the court that Just before his daughter left with her friend, he told her that he loved her. He warned her to be careful and have fun. Daniels said he had no idea those were going to be his last words to his daughter.

Anjanae Milliner, Michaela’s daughter, also addressed the court at the sentencing. She said that the loss of her mother was devastating and left a large void in her life.  She grieved over the fact that she would never get the opportunity to kiss, hold, smell, and tell her how much her mother meant to her.

Numerous relatives of the victims crowded the courthouse to show their support for one another. With only a handful of people in his corner, Deante Holden expressed his apologies to the families but then explained to the judge that he was forced to shoot the two women in self-defense.

A jury had already rejected Holden’s claim that he acted in self-defense. Judge Mary Wiseman agreed and called his excuses baseless, absurd, and insulting.  Wiseman reiterated that the women were defenseless, ambushed, and shot from behind in a cowardly manner.

Holden was given a 45-year to life sentence by Judge Wiseman. As part of his punishment, Holden must reimburse the Ohio Victims of Crime Compensation Fund for the money needed to cover Michaela and Felicia’s burial costs.