In the late hours of a Friday evening in August, the life of 20-year-old Treonna Washington was tragically cut short in an alleyway in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. Her body was discovered the following morning by a man out walking his dog near a set of stairs on Reed Street. An autopsy would later confirm that the young woman had been shot in the head. The initial investigation by the Aliquippa Police Department was soon taken over by the Pennsylvania State Police as a homicide investigation.
Investigators quickly focused on 25-year-old Jason Banks Jr., who was identified as Washington's boyfriend. The investigation revealed a disturbing sequence of events leading up to her death. On the evening of August 16, 2024, Banks had reportedly assaulted Washington at her apartment in Linmar Terrace. Surveillance video captured Banks going into the apartment with Washington, and witnesses later reported that the two had been arguing and that Washington emerged with a scratch and a bump on her head.
A key witness in the case was Banks's roommate, Shakeirs Foster, who was with the couple in the alley on the night of the murder. According to Foster's testimony, he, Banks, and Washington were together when he heard a gunshot. Although he did not see Banks fire the weapon, he testified that Banks was the one who shot Washington. Foster also stated that Banks had urged him to keep the incident a secret.
Jason Banks Jr. was arrested and charged with criminal homicide and simple assault. During his trial, which began nearly a year after Washington's death, Banks took the stand in his own defense. He claimed that it was his roommate, Shakeirs Foster, who was the shooter, alleging that Foster was angry with Washington for breaking a window at their home. Banks testified that he witnessed Foster shoot Washington in the alley. He admitted to fleeing the scene and not calling for help, stating he was afraid of Foster and Washington's family.
Despite Banks's testimony, the jury found him guilty of the murder of Treonna Washington, as well as two counts of assault related to the events preceding her death. Following the conviction, Jason Banks Jr. was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The prosecution noted that while the murder weapon was never recovered, such an occurrence is not uncommon in homicide cases. Washington's family, who had suffered the tragic loss of her grandmother to gun violence two years prior, expressed their devastation and their gratitude for the justice served.
