In the late summer of 2019, the life of 17-year-old Quamyia Jones, a young female from Albany, Georgia, was tragically cut short. On the night of Saturday, August 10th, or in the early hours of Sunday, August 11th, Jones was at a friend's house on the 1900 block of West Highland Avenue. With her infant child by her side, the scene was tragically shattered by the sound of multiple gunshots. When police arrived, they found Jones deceased. Her child was physically unharmed.
The investigation into the homicide led Albany police to identify three suspects. In a December 2019 announcement, authorities confirmed the arrests of 20-year-old Myles Banks, 16-year-old Ricardo Oliver Jr., and 16-year-old Derek Burkes. All three were charged with murder and aggravated assault in connection with the shooting death of Quamyia Jones. Due to the nature of the charges, the two juvenile suspects were to be prosecuted as adults.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, investigators also sought to question Quamyia's 20-year-old sister, Quashayla Sykeatha Jones, in connection with the case. It was reported that she had four active warrants for her arrest on unrelated charges. She later turned herself in to the authorities.
Further tragedy struck the family years later. In August 2025, Rasheed Moore, the father of Quamyia Jones's daughter, was also killed as a result of gun violence.
