‘Cost him his own freedom.’ Man gets life sentence in Houston County murder case
A man has been sentenced to life in prison after a Houston County jury convicted him of murder, according to Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards.
Anthony Jerome Jones, 27, was convicted March 6 of the murder of 19-year-old Demarion Harris in a shooting witnessed by Jones’ estranged wife, according to court records. The jury also convicted Jones of aggravated assault and making terroristic threats. Additionally, Judge G.E. Bo Adams issued a direct verdict of guilty on two counts of child cruelty because his estranged wife’s children, under the age of 8, saw the shooting.
Jones fled the scene and was at-large for two weeks before he was arrested in Thomaston.
“Uncontrolled anger directed at domestic partners continues to take lives and leave families shattered,” Edwards said. “Jones made a deliberate choice to enter that home, gun in hand, and take the life of a young man who was lying in bed. His actions have now, thankfully, cost him his own freedom.”
The jury deliberated for two hours before reaching a guilty verdict for Jones.
Jones threatened his wife after the shooting
Detective Matthew Brankley, who responded to the scene, found Harris lying on his bed with a gunshot wound to his head on Oct. 13, 2023, according to an affidavit used to get an arrest warrant. Harris was transported to Atrium Hospital in Macon, where he was declared dead.
A witness was sitting in the bedroom near the door when Jones entered and yelled a threat before firing, court records show. Jones’ estranged wife was lying next to Harris.
Court records show that he then walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway toward the house’s carport entrance, and left.
His estranged wife then called the Warner Robins Police Department and told them that she and her three children were being threatened by Jones after he had shot Harris, according to court records.
“My heart goes out to the family of Demarion Harris, and I hope that today’s verdict brings them some measure of justice,” Edwards said.
