On an autumn evening in Laurel, Mississippi, the life of 37-year-old Jordan Aubin Heinhuis was tragically cut short. On October 13, 2020, Heinhuis was shot and killed at the South Park Village apartment complex in an act of violence that would soon draw in a family of suspects and unravel through digital footprints.
The investigation into the death of the Louisiana man quickly pointed to a 19-year-old, Jadarius Keyes, as the primary suspect. Keyes was taken into custody by the Laurel Police Department and subsequently faced a charge of capital murder. As investigators delved deeper into the circumstances surrounding the shooting, they uncovered a plot to conceal the crime, allegedly involving Keyes's closest relatives.
Authorities accused Clifton Keyes, Jadarius's father, and Javeryion Dixon, his brother, of attempting to hide the murder weapon, a. 38-caliber handgun. This led to charges of accessory after the fact to murder being filed against both men. In a twist of modern crime-solving, a break in the case came from social media. The Jones County Sheriff's Department had posted a warrant for Dixon's arrest on Facebook, to which Dixon himself reportedly responded with a laughing emoji. This online taunt quickly led to his apprehension.
Faced with the mounting evidence against them, both Clifton Keyes and Javeryion Dixon chose to cooperate with the authorities. Their assistance proved crucial in the recovery of the firearm used in Heinhuis's death. In exchange for their cooperation, they pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of obstruction of justice. A judge sentenced each of them to six months, which was suspended, and a fine of $500.
For the murder of Jordan Aubin Heinhuis, Jadarius Keyes was ultimately sentenced to serve 25 years in prison. His conviction brought a close to the legal proceedings surrounding a violent death that not only took a man's life but also entangled his killer's family in the desperate and ultimately failed attempt to cover up the crime.
