On a Wednesday afternoon, September 16, 2020, the life of 29-year-old Carlos Andre Jones of Roanoke, Virginia, was tragically cut short. Known to his loved ones as 'Los,' he was found critically injured in a parking lot in the 500 block of Chestnut Street in Vinton. Despite the arrival of first responders, Jones succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The Vinton Police Department quickly classified his death as a homicide and launched an investigation.
In the initial stages of the investigation, details were scarce. Police had identified a person of interest but had not made any arrests, leaving the community and Jones's family searching for answers. His sister, LaCresha Brown, expressed her family's grief and confusion, stating that Jones did not live at the apartment building where the shooting occurred and that she was unsure why he was there. In the days that followed, family and friends gathered for a candlelight vigil at Staunton Park in Roanoke to honor his memory, sharing stories and messages of peace.
The investigation eventually revealed a shocking turn of events. Carlos Jones was shot and killed by the 10-year-old son of his girlfriend, Teirra Shanae Poindexter. On the day of the shooting, Jones and Poindexter had been involved in a volatile and heated confrontation. During the altercation, Poindexter introduced a handgun, which she at one point aimed at both Jones and her son. Later, she placed the loaded weapon on a coffee table within reach of her children before leaving the room. It was then that her son picked up the firearm and shot Jones.
Following the investigation, Teirra Shanae Poindexter was held criminally accountable for the death of Carlos Jones. She was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of felony child neglect. A court of appeals later affirmed the trial court's conclusion that Poindexter's actions of introducing a loaded firearm into a volatile situation and leaving it accessible to her young child were criminally negligent and directly contributed to the fatal shooting. The court found that her conduct showed a reckless disregard for the life and health of her children and ultimately led to the tragic death of Carlos Jones.
