In the pre-dawn hours of October 9, 2018, a senseless act of violence cut short the life of Kartavious Jones, a 30-year-old man from Albany, Georgia. His body was later discovered by city employees, lying face down in a field in a residential neighborhood at the corner of Crawford Drive and Mitchell Avenue. The cause of death was determined to be multiple gunshot wounds, turning a quiet city corner into a homicide scene.
The investigation into Jones's death revealed a chilling sequence
of events. In the early morning darkness, around 4 a.m., four individuals, Demondarrius Jaquan Hicks, Jotorious Devante Cox, Mckeal Raynard Lamar, Jr., and Jamarrie Harvey, all members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods, were driving when they encountered Jones. An exchange of words led the four to believe that Jones was a member of the rival Crips gang. This mistaken assumption sealed his fate.
The four men stopped their vehicle, got out, and began to assault Jones in what started as a robbery attempt. The situation quickly escalated, and both Harvey and Hicks fired multiple shots at him. After he had been fatally wounded, his attackers stole one dollar and a pair of Nike slides before leaving him to die alone in the field. The stark contrast between the value of the stolen items and the life that was taken underscored the tragic and senseless nature of the crime.
The Albany Police Department's Robbery/Homicide Unit, with assistance from the department's Gang Task Force, diligently pursued the case. Their investigation led to the identification and subsequent arrest of all four individuals involved. Jamarrie Harvey eventually entered a guilty plea for his role in the crime. Hicks, Cox, and Lamar, Jr. faced a 10-day trial in February 2024. A Dougherty County jury found all three guilty of murder and other charges. In April 2024, they were sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Kartavious Jones, bringing a measure of justice to his family and the community.
