On the evening of December 17, 2015, a tragedy unfolded at the Pine Ridge Apartments on Clinton Road in Macon, Georgia, that would cut short the life of 23-year-old Jarvis Ronte' West. An argument escalated to violence, resulting in West being shot multiple times. He was rushed to a local hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly after arrival. The incident marked Bibb County's 25th homicide of the year, leaving the community in shock.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office, in conjunction with the U.S. Marshal's Southeastern Regional Fugitive Task Force, immediately launched an investigation into the shooting death of the young African American male. Their efforts quickly led them to a suspect, 23-year-old Shavez Christian Flewellen. Acting on a tip, law enforcement located Flewellen on Madden Avenue on December 22, 2015, just five days after the fatal shooting. After a brief attempt to flee, Flewellen turned himself in to the authorities. He was subsequently charged with felony murder and aggravated assault.
Shavez Flewellen's case proceeded through the legal system, and in January 2018, he pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. He also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a first offender probationer and a probation violation. At the time of the shooting, Flewellen was on probation for a 2013 conviction for possessing a gun with a removed serial number. A judge sentenced Flewellen to 20 years, with 17 of those to be served in prison. The resolution of the case brought a measure of closure to the family and friends of Jarvis West, though the pain of his untimely death remains.
