The mother of late North Carolina rapper Lil Jbo, Shanna Lowery, stood outside a Robeson County courtroom questioning why the man accused of killing her son continues to be granted the chance to seek bail as her family relives the trauma over and over again.
Her 20-year-old son, born Tazarie Butler, was shot and killed on June 27, 2023, at a home on Beam Road in Robeson County.
Since then, the man charged with his murder, 27-year-old Chamberlin Oxendine, has filed four separate motions for bond hearings, according to Robeson County District Attorney Matthew Scott, as reported by WPDE.
“Why is it fair for a mother and family to have to keep coming and reliving this situation when we’re 90 days away from court?” Lowery asked during an interview with the station. “The pain and stuff are already going to come. The trauma, the memories, all of that is going to come up.”
Oxendine, who was arrested in August 2023, remains in custody on a $1 million bond.
His latest hearing, originally set for October 13, was postponed and is now expected to take place in November. His legal team is pushing for a bond reduction to $50,000, calling the current amount “grossly excessive.”
In court filings, they claim Oxendine acted in self-defense and in defense of his family members, including his wife, children and brother. The documents also note the shooting happened at his father’s home and that he “cooperated with the investigation.”
Lowery, however, remains firmly opposed to any reduction in bail. “My son’s life is worth more than $1,000,000, number one,” she said.
Legal analysts say while suspects can request bond hearings repeatedly, courts typically only entertain them when new developments arise in the case.
Butler’s death rattled his hometown of Lumberton, where he had built a name for himself in the local music scene and had started making industry connections before his life was cut short.
In his honor, the city of Lumberton designated June 27 as “Tazarie Butler Day.”
The case has seen multiple delays. Oxendine’s trial was initially scheduled for September 2025 but was pushed to March 2026 due to the late submission of crucial evidence.
Despite the repeated court dates and emotional toll, Lowery says she will continue to show up. “I’m going to do that until the jury makes their decision,” she said. “And like I said, when the jury makes their decision, whatever it may be, I will be able to live with that.”
Oxendine’s next bond hearing is set for November 2025.
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