In the quiet evening of June 10, 2018, the life of 14-year-old Jada Darayona Jones of Rock Hill, South Carolina, was tragically cut short. She was a young girl with a vibrant spirit, known for her sweet and outgoing personality. Jada attended Rawlinson Road Middle School and the Raven Academy. On that fateful night, Jada was visiting a friend's home on Pinckney Street in Chester County. While sitting in the driveway with her friend, a car approached, and gunfire erupted.
Jada was struck by a bullet and, despite the immediate response of those nearby, she succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation into Jada's death quickly revealed that she was an innocent bystander in a violent, ongoing gang dispute. The Chester County Sheriff's Office determined that the intended target of the shooting was likely a young man who resided at the home where Jada was visiting and who had been targeted in previous shootings. Authorities swiftly identified two suspects in the drive-by shooting: Rapheal Sidique Carter, 21, and Hezekiah Roymel Tinsley, 19. Both men were taken into custody the day after the shooting. The weapon believed to have been used in the shooting, a 9mm handgun, was also recovered.
Initially, Rapheal Carter was charged with murder, and Hezekiah Tinsley was charged with accessory to murder. Prosecutors stated that Carter, a documented gang member, confessed to the shooting. Later, the charges against Tinsley were upgraded to murder, with officials identifying him as the driver of the vehicle. In August 2018, a judge denied bond for both Carter and Tinsley, deeming them a danger to the community.
In December 2019, both men pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in negotiated plea deals that saw their murder charges dismissed. Rapheal Sidique Carter was sentenced to 25 years in prison for his role in the shooting. Hezekiah Roymel Tinsley also received a 25-year prison sentence. During the sentencing, Jada's family expressed their profound grief and dissatisfaction with the length of the sentences, stating that their daughter's life was worth more. The judge acknowledged the immense tragedy and the heartbreak felt by the family and the community.
