https://crookedwhitpain.com/crooked-whitpain-podcast/
Donte Perez-Jones was a 35-year-old Black U.S. Army veteran and father of three from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. On the morning of June 17, 2022, Donte’s body was found hanging from the monkey bars at Wentz Run Park in Whitpain Township. Police swiftly ruled it a suicide — but his family believes something far more sinister happened.
This case has rattled an entire community.
Why would Donte drive nearly an hour to an unfamiliar, predominantly white suburb he had no ties to — in the middle of the night, on Juneteenth weekend?
Why was his wallet missing?
Why were there unexplained bruises on his body?
Why were his feet touching the ground beneath the playground equipment?
And why did police close the case so quickly?
Donte Perez-Jones was a 35-year-old Black U.S. Army veteran and father of three from Sharon Hill, Pennsylvania. In a case that has shaken an entire community, Donte’s body was found hanging from the monkey bars at Wentz Run Park in Whitpain Township on the morning of June 17, 2022. Police quickly labeled it a suicide. But his family is adamant: this was not suicide — it was something more sinister.
This gripping episode examines the shocking inconsistencies and unanswered questions that suggest a possible cover-up. Why would Donte drive nearly an hour to an unfamiliar, predominantly white suburb he had no ties to — in the middle of the night — on Juneteenth weekend? Why was his wallet missing? Why were there unexplained bruises across his body? Why were his feet touching the ground beneath the playground equipment — and why did the police close the case so quickly?
Donte’s mother, LaTina Dean, says her son once told her: “Mom, if anyone ever tells you I committed suicide, don’t believe them. I love life and my family too much.” That conviction fuels her and the family’s fight for justice.
In this episode, we explore:
- The suspicious physical evidence that challenges the official story, including bruising, missing personal items, and a body position inconsistent with suicide
- How the scene was quickly reopened to the public before a thorough investigation
- The Whitpain Township Police Department’s rapid ruling of suicide and their alleged refusal to let the family view Donte’s body
- The role of Whitpain Township Police Chief Ken Lawson and questions of racial bias
- The family’s relentless advocacy, public pressure, and growing community support
- The delayed autopsy and the family’s decision to hire an independent investigator
- Broader patterns of discrimination and misconduct in Whitpain Township
- Allegations of corruption, cover-ups, and civil rights violations in the town’s leadership
- The involvement — or lack thereof—of Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele
This episode is part of the CrookedWhitpain.com series, an investigative deep dive into the systemic failures, corruption, and unanswered questions swirling around Whitpain Township. Donte’s death has become a symbol of something much larger: a town’s broken justice system, a community’s fight for truth, and a family’s refusal to let their loved one become a forgotten statistic.
Donte was a man with plans — studying for his CDL trucking license, raising his kids, and looking forward to his future. He was not suicidal. The family’s investigator believes the body may have been moved and staged. The fact that his feet were on the ground when found, combined with blunt force injuries and a missing wallet, only heightens suspicion.
Donte’s family has organized vigils, launched a GoFundMe for legal support, and built a movement demanding that state and county authorities take this seriously. They’ve also connected with other families and residents who allege similar misconduct, bias, and a lack of accountability in Whitpain.
This is more than a tragedy. It’s a reckoning.
🎙️ Listen now to hear the full story of “The Mysterious Death of Donte Perez-Jones: Suicide or Something More?” and join the call for a real investigation, transparency, and justice.
JusticeForDonte #CrookedWhitpain #WhitpainTownship #CivilRights #JuneteenthJustice #BlackLivesMatter