ST. LOUIS, MO – In a shocking turn of events, 25-year-old St. Louis man Laveal David Jones has been sentenced to 30 years in prison for the brutal carjacking and murder of his friend.
Jones, who had been released from prison less than three months prior to the crime, was ordered to pay $9,074 to the victim’s family for funeral costs by U.S. District Judge Ronnie L. White.
According to the plea agreement, Jones and the victim had a physical fight in the early morning hours of October 1, 2022, after Jones demanded money he believed he was owed. Jones suffered a bloody nose before using the victim’s firearm to shoot him twice, killing him.
Jones then left the victim’s body in the street, stripped naked to avoid leaving behind evidence. He drove the victim’s 2015 Kia K900 sedan to East St. Louis, where he set it on fire and walked away.
On October 17, 2022, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers spotted Jones in a different stolen Kia, which he crashed and fled on foot. Jones discarded a pistol before being caught.
During the sentencing hearing, five of the victim’s relatives spoke about the impact of his death, including his mother and sister.
Jones pleaded guilty in February to three felony counts: carjacking resulting in death, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and discharge of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence with death resulting.
The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department and the FBI investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program aiming to reduce violent crime and gun violence by bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve.
Related Federal Cases
- St. Louis Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Fatal Carjacking of Friend · Illinois
- St. Louis Man Pleads Guilty to Carjacking with Sawed-Off Shotgun · Missouri
- 20-Year-Old Sentenced in St. Louis Carjacking Spree · Missouri
- Ricky Smith Pleads Guilty to Armed Carjacking in St. Louis · Missouri
- Jones Admits Role in Armed St. Louis Carjacking · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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