Vernon Oneal Jones Jr., a 26-year-old African American male, was tragically killed on June 1, 2014, in Raleigh, North Carolina. Jones was shot multiple times in a parking lot at the corner of West Hargett and South West streets after leaving Club Bodi. The incident occurred shortly before 3:15 a.m., and Jones was pronounced dead at WakeMed.
Police believe that Jones may have been among those fleeing the nightclub after a disturbance, but it remains unclear if the shooting was related to the disturbance inside the club. The shooting was the second one related to the club in less than a year.
In October 2017, a husband and wife, Andrew Ellis, 31, and Dominique Wiley Ellis, 26, were arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of Vernon Oneal Jones Jr. Andrew Ellis was already serving a six-year sentence at Pasquotank Correctional Institution following a 2016 conviction on a charge of being a habitual felon. No information was released regarding the motive for the shooting or what evidence linked the Ellises to the crime.
The investigation into the shooting revealed that Jones was shot multiple times, and witnesses reported hearing five rounds go off. Despite the arrests, the motive behind the shooting remains unclear, and the case continues to be a tragic reminder of the violence that can occur in nightlife settings.
