Adult film star Jay Hefner – whose real name is Saiveon Hopkins – was shot dead in Lincoln, Nebraska. His family has described the untimely tragedy as a “senseless act of gun violence,” as the 24-year-old died “trying to protect” his cousin.
According to a GoFundMe fundraiser organised by Kyra Miller, a close friend of the deceased star’s mother, Jeni Brown. Hopkins had flown down to Lincoln from his home in Ontario, Canada, to visit his family for a birthday celebration over the weekend.
However, he was fatally shot on Sunday, September 8. The Sun further reports that the incident occurred around 1:30 am when officers responded to a fight in the downtown area in the 100 block of North 11th Street. Upon their arrival, officials found two men at the scene inflicted with gunshot wounds. They were eventually rushed to the hospital.
The Lincoln Police Department (LPD) eventually issued an official press release: “Despite immediate life-saving measures by medical personnel, the 24-year-old Lincoln man passed away from his injuries around 5:37 a.m. LPD is not releasing his name at this time while next of kin is notified.”
The official statement also highlighted that authorities were investigating three shootings in the city. However, the incidents are not believed to be related at this time.
Deceased adult film star’s identity confirmed
1011 Now later confirmed that the 24-year-old Lincoln man who succumbed to his injuries was, in fact, Jay Hefner. The other wounded man is said to be in his forties and was deemed stable with non-threatening injuries.
The GoFundMe page dedicated to Hopkins confirmed: “On September 8, 2024, my close friend Jeni Brown, lost her son due to a senseless act of gun violence while trying to protect his cousin from physical violence in Lincoln, NE.”
Miller described the 24-year-old man as a “a shining light that was there for everyone who loved him. Father to a 10 month old daughter, who adored him, he also helped his terminally ill mother care for his siblings.”
The note added, “Due to the financial strain already placed on the family for Jeni’s medical care and the unexpected passing, I am wanting to help raise funds to relieve them of the financial burden during an already devastating time. Funerals can be costly and we would like to honor Saiveon in a way that he deserves.”
Tributes pour in for Jay Hefner, aka Saiveon Hopkins
Hopkins’ girlfriend, Madeline Murchison, also took to her Instagram Stories to pay heartfelt tribute to her “whole heart in human form.”
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“When your mom called I instantly broke down I’ve never felt this type of hurt and honestly idk how to get through it. Any little thing I’d call you, you were my safe place no matter what we were going through you’d make sure to call me every night and fall asleep on the phone & tell me everything was going to be okay,” Murchisonn continued in a separate post dedicated to her boyfriend.
The 24-year-old’s cousin @LeeiLonie_ also spread the sad news on Sunday by sharing the GoFundMe page via a tweet, saying, “Last night my cousin was murdered in Nebraska if you can share this so we can lay him to rest.”
Per Hopkins’ Instagram profile, he was also an ambassador for Fashion Nova, Rockstar Original and Drawlz Brand Co. Earlier this year, he shared online that he had finished a degree in dentistry. “A Certified Veneer Tech Come Get A Seven Figure Smile From Da Kid 🦷😁 @sevenfiguresmiles for Bookings !!” he captioned the April 2 post.
