On a cold November evening in 2014, the life of 26-year-old Jarmelle 'Jo Jo' Jones was tragically cut short in what appeared to be a home invasion in Cordova, a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. The male victim, a well-known and beloved figure in his community, was returning home with his girlfriend on November 28th when they were ambushed by two armed men wearing masks.
Inside the residence, a struggle ensued as Jones attempted to defend himself and his girlfriend.
During the confrontation, he was fatally shot in the chest. His girlfriend was also wounded, shot in the leg as she prayed. The assailants fled the scene after stealing money, a cell phone, and the keys to Jones's car, which they used as a getaway vehicle. The stolen car was discovered the next morning, abandoned and burning in the Raleigh neighborhood of Memphis. The brazen and violent nature of the crime sent shockwaves through the community that knew Jones as a positive and ambitious young man. A graduate of the University of Memphis, he had been a student manager for the university's basketball team and was known as an entrepreneur and a mentor to younger children.
For nearly two years, the case went cold, leaving Jones's family and friends without answers and his killers at large. The break in the investigation came in 2016 when authorities indicted two men, Thaddeus Money and Raphael Farmer, for the murder of Jarmelle Jones. Both men had extensive criminal histories. Later that same year, a third suspect, Terrance Harris, was apprehended in Minnesota by U.S. Marshals and extradited back to Memphis to face charges.
In December 2021, more than seven years after the murder, a Shelby County jury found Thaddeus Money guilty of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and a host of other charges related to the home invasion. He was immediately sentenced to life in prison. During the trial, his co-defendant, Raphael Farmer, testified against him, detailing their roles in the robbery and murder. Farmer and Terrance Harris were awaiting trial for their alleged involvement in the crime.
