In the holiday chill of Christmas night, 2019, a season meant for warmth and cheer was irrevocably shattered for the family of Sidney Jones. A 36-year-old Black man from Phenix City, Alabama, Jones was at a local sports bar when his life was abruptly and violently ended. The evening turned tragic when Jones was shot multiple times, the incident reportedly stemming from previous altercations with his assailant.
The investigation into the shooting, aided by video surveillance from the
establishment, quickly led law enforcement to a suspect. Delewis Antwan Collier, a 40-year-old man also from Phenix City, was identified as the individual who had left the bar to retrieve a gun before returning to confront Jones. This calculated act suggested a premeditated nature to the violence that unfolded.
In the ensuing legal proceedings, Collier claimed he acted out of fear, believing he had seen Jones with a weapon. However, this assertion was ultimately rejected by a jury in Russell County Circuit Court. On May 5, 2022, Delewis Antwan Collier was convicted of the murder of Sidney Jones. He was subsequently sentenced to a term of forty-five years in prison. The Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals later upheld this conviction on April 28, 2023, bringing a measure of finality to a case that had cast a dark shadow over the holiday season. Jones, who was born on January 16, 1983, was remembered by his family and had attended Smith Station High School.
