In the late hours of March 12, 2020, in Layton, Utah, the life of 18-year-old Kannon Beesley was tragically cut short. Inside the basement of his home on North Fairfield Road, a dispute over drugs escalated into a fatal encounter. Beesley was with two other men, one of whom was considered a close friend, when a physical altercation broke out. During the struggle, a handgun was drawn, and Beesley was shot twice in the torso. Despite his severe injuries, he managed to make his way upstairs to alert his mother, who then called 911. He was rushed to a local hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The subsequent investigation led police to two individuals: 29-year-old Michael Jameel Hines and 19-year-old Jeremiah Wright. It was revealed that Wright was indebted to Beesley and had gone to the residence with Hines. According to statements, when Beesley displayed a large bag of marijuana, Hines attempted to steal it, initiating a physical fight. It was during this struggle that Beesley was shot. In his final moments, Beesley had told his mother that "Jeremiah's brother" had shot him, though it was later clarified that Hines and Wright were close friends, not siblings.
Initially, Jeremiah Wright allegedly attempted to mislead investigators, but he was later taken into custody and charged with obstruction of justice. Michael Jameel Hines was arrested and faced more severe charges, including murder and aggravated robbery. During interviews with law enforcement, Hines admitted to being present and fighting with Beesley, and he also confessed that the plan was to rob Beesley of both money and marijuana. However, he claimed that it was Wright who had fired the gun, an assertion not supported by the evidence. Hines was considered a flight risk after it was discovered he had attempted to purchase a bus ticket to his home state of Illinois.
Ultimately, the legal process found Michael Jameel Hines responsible for Kannon Beesley's death. In April 2022, a jury found Hines guilty of first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and use of a firearm by a restricted person. He was subsequently sentenced to serve 17 years to life in prison. While Jeremiah Wright was initially arrested for obstruction of justice, court records indicate he was never formally charged in connection with the incident.
