In the late hours of a November evening in Columbus, Georgia, a burst of gunfire shattered the night, leaving two teenagers fatally wounded. The shooting, which occurred around 1:00 a.m. on November 27, 2024, in the 8300 block of Canaan Drive, claimed the life of 18-year-old J'Mauri Taylor at the scene. Another 18-year-old male, Dai’John Ross, a Black / African American, was critically injured and rushed to Piedmont Columbus Regional Hospital.
Despite medical efforts, Ross succumbed to his injuries two days later, on the evening of November 29, 2024.
The Columbus Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit immediately launched a double homicide investigation. For weeks, the case remained without a public breakthrough, as authorities sought leads and information from the community. The search for who was responsible for the deaths of the two young men continued into the new year, leaving their families and the wider community awaiting answers and hoping for justice.
A significant development in the case came in early January 2025. Investigators identified 16-year-old Skylar Jones as a suspect in the double homicide. On January 2, 2025, Jones was apprehended in Fairburn, Georgia, initially on charges unrelated to the shooting. Following his arrest and extradition to Columbus, he was detained at the Regional Youth Detention Center. On January 7, 2025, authorities served arrest warrants against Jones for his alleged role in the Canaan Drive shooting.
The charges brought against Skylar Jones were extensive and severe, reflecting the gravity of the crime. He faces counts of Malice Murder and Felony Murder under Senate Bill 440, three counts of Aggravated Assault, Armed Robbery, Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime, Unlawful Possession of Firearms or Weapons, and Possession of a Pistol/Revolver by a person under the age of 18. Jones was scheduled for an appearance in Recorder's Court on January 9, 2025.
