In the autumn of 2021, the life of 19-year-old Jaheem Keith Alston was tragically cut short in a wooded area of Middle Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania. Originally from Paterson, New Jersey, the young man was lured to the Poconos on October 16, 2021, under the pretense of a drug deal. This arrangement, however, was a fatal setup orchestrated over an alleged debt of a mere $100.
Pennsylvania State Police responded to a call of multiple shots fired late that Saturday night between
Gingerbread and Arrowhead lanes. In the early hours of the following morning, they discovered Jaheem's body; he had been shot in the back. The Monroe County coroner pronounced him dead at the scene. The investigation into his death uncovered a grim story of betrayal by someone he apparently knew.
Investigators identified Tyrone Michael Parson, also 19 at the time and from Stroudsburg, as the individual who had lured Jaheem to the secluded location. According to authorities, Parson pulled out a gun and fired several shots at Alston. An accomplice, 18-year-old Kellie Nelson, was identified as the driver. Both Parson and Nelson were subsequently arrested. Parson faced a charge of homicide, while Nelson was charged with tampering with evidence and drug-related offenses.
In June 2024, a judge found Tyrone Parson guilty of third-degree murder for the shooting death of Jaheem Alston. His sentencing was scheduled for August of the same year. Kellie Nelson was awaiting trial for her role in the events that led to the untimely death of the young man from New Jersey.
