This story was produced as part of our Writing Heals program, in which we hire a family member of the deceased to write the story of the loved one they lost. For more information or to sign up to write about someone you lost to gun violence, click here.
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By Yasmin Devlin-Barnes, Jameel’s mother.
When Jameel Devlin was 9 years old, he played hide and seek with his sister and took it to the extreme. He climbed out onto the back balcony, dangled himself from the neighbor’s window, and stayed there until his sister finally found him.
She punished him, of course—but he never stopped finding new ways to surprise people.
That was Jameel: daring, mischievous, one-of-a-kind. “He survived his childhood,” his sister Christine Devlin joked. But more than that, he thrived in the ways that mattered most—as a father, brother, grandson, neighbor and friend.
William Jameel Devlin, known simply as Jameel or affectionately as MillyMox, was born on Feb. 2, 1978, in Philadelphia to Yasmin Devlin-Barnes and Frank Junius. He grew up in North Philly around 11th & Norris and 11th & Huntingdon Streets, a neighborhood that shaped him, but never defined him.
Jameel was a standout student, winning awards in math and science. He starred as Jesse B. Simple in his junior high play, “Harlem En-Vogue Renaissance,” and brought the house down with a standing ovation. He later graduated and went on to barber school, eventually turning his home into a neighborhood barber shop. “His dream was to open his own shop one day,” said his family.
He never the chance. He was killed on Oct. 12, 2024, on Jessup Street near Cumberland in North Philly. He was 46.
As Jameel was growing up, he moved to his own beat. “He was a loner,” said Charles, a longtime neighbor. “Not your typical young person. But he was always kind, respectful and walked to his own rhythm.”
His grandmother Chris remembered him as sweet and headstrong. “He truly loved me, and he showed it in so many ways,” she said. “He was big on family. That meant everything to him.”
Even as an adult, Jameel kept close to home, always checking in on family, meditating, and talking with neighbors. “He spent his days seeing if anyone needed anything,” his grandmother said.
Jameel’s greatest joy was his children. Christine, Charles and a family friend, Gina Graham, all agreed: nothing made him prouder than seeing them graduate high school and become good people. “He loved his family and was proud to say he was a Devlin. He talked about his heritage all the time,” said Christine.
He had a quiet kind of consistency that people appreciated. “He was the same way all the time,” said Gina. “Every time I visited, he’d open the door and say, ‘Come on in, Mom,’ like he’d been waiting all day.”
Jameel was funny, too—sometimes without even meaning to be. Christine recalled telling him as kids that they were adopted and that their mom and grandmother were white, just to get a rise out of him. “He would get so upset!” she laughed.
Another time, when he was still little, his mother had fallen into a deep sleep and wouldn’t wake up to feed him. Jameel, in full baby logic, beat her legs with a bottle until she finally stirred. “She couldn’t walk the next day and had no idea why,” said his grandmother.
As an adult, Jameel took pride in his accomplishments. He became a homeowner, bought a car, and even won a pool tournament. He was also a talented artist, and loved drawing and music. His favorite song? “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye” from *Cooley High* – a fitting anthem for someone so deeply loved.
He often told people, in response to just about anything, “No question. Basic shit.” And when Christine would ask what he planned to do that day, he’d say, “Same thing I do every day: try to take over the world.”
He leaves behind four sisters, three brothers, two grandmothers, one uncle, and many nieces and nephews who still feel the shape of his absence.
“Jameel was one of a kind,” Gina said. “And he was ours.”
Anyone with information regarding any murder is urged to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-TIPS (8477). There is a $20,000.00 reward leading to the conviction of a suspect.
