In the early morning hours of October 1, 2022, a distressing scene unfolded in the Kingsway East neighborhood of St. Louis. Darrell Carter Jones Jr., a 27-year-old male, was discovered lifeless and unclothed on the street near Ashland Avenue and Walton Place. An initial call to the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department shortly after 5:45 a.m. reported a naked man lying in the road.
Upon their arrival, officers found Jones with a gunshot wound to his face and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation into the death of Jones, who was described by his family as a gentle and loving entrepreneur and fashion designer, soon uncovered a story of betrayal. On the night of the incident, Jones had been driving with his friend, Laveal D. Jones II, after leaving a nightclub in Sauget. An argument erupted between the two men, reportedly over money. The dispute escalated into a physical altercation, during which Laveal Jones gained control of his friend's firearm and shot him twice.
Following the shooting, Laveal Jones went to great lengths to conceal his crime. He stripped Darrell Jones of his clothing, a calculated move to eliminate any of his own DNA that might be on the victim, and left his body in the 3000 block of Walton Place. He then took his friend's vehicle, a 2015 Kia K900, drove it to East St. Louis, and set it ablaze. The Homicide Division of the St. Louis police department took charge of the investigation and their efforts led to the identification and arrest of Laveal D. Jones II.
Laveal D. Jones II, who was on parole for a prior robbery conviction at the time of the murder, was subsequently charged for the death of his friend. In February 2024, he pleaded guilty to charges of carjacking resulting in death, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence resulting in death. In May 2024, a federal judge sentenced Laveal Jones to 30 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay $9,074 to the victim's family to cover funeral expenses. During the sentencing, Laveal Jones offered an apology for his actions, stating, 'It was wrong.'
