NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — A man has been arrested in connection to a deadly triple shooting that Newport News detectives have been investigating for over a year and a half.
Dimair Jones, 26, of Newport News, was arrested Wednesday, police say. He's facing the following charges: three counts of first-degree murder, three counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and three counts of use of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Watch previous coverage: All 3 victims identified in Newport News triple homicide; police say could be drug related
The extensive investigation started back on August 8, 2023, when officers found three men shot to death in a home located in a neighborhood near Fort Eustis.
Police say officers were sent to the home, located at 429 Stallings Court, after someone called about shots fired. There, they found three men: Alvin Eugene Holiday, 61, of Williamsburg; Monroe McGilvary Jr., 60, also of Williamsburg; and Derek Rico Jones, Sr., 36, of Newport News.
All three were pronounced dead at the scene, police say.
Police did not share potential motives when announcing Jones' arrest. However, when speaking with News 3 back in 2023, Newport News Police Chief Steve Drew said they recovered a lot of evidence from the home, including cocaine and marijuana. At the time, he said police believed the homicides were drug-related.
“This is not just a random act not just someone that’s running around, and selected a house and and broke in a door and something tragic happened," Chief Drew told News 3 in August of 2023.
News 3 also spoke with loved ones of one of the men who were killed, Derek Jones, shortly after the shooting. His ex-wife shared photos of him and said he leaves behind children.
“No matter what happens in life, nobody deserves to be murdered, to have their life taken from them… it’s nobody’s call to play God," said Jennifer Jones-Futrell, mother of Derek Jones' children. “I want to know what happened, I want to know who murdered him. My babies just lost their dad, their siblings just lost their dad. I don’t care what the reason was, he didn’t deserve to die."
Chief Drew applauded the department's detectives following the arrest.
“NNPD’s homicide detectives have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to solving this case. Their tireless work has not only led to today’s significant arrests but also reflects a deeper mission to ensure the safety of our community,” said Chief Drew.
