NORFOLK, Va. — A Norfolk judge sentenced Kenyatta Ferrell Jones, 29, to eight active years in prison for killing a mother and daughter in 2021.
Jones shot 52-year-old Alicia Ann Hereford and her daughter, 23-year-old Morgan Bazemore, in the parking lot of Hunter's Square Apartments on Goff Street, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office. Earlier this year, he pleaded guilty to the two counts of voluntary manslaughter.
A witness captured the shooting on a dash-camera and turned over the footage to the police. Another witness told police he saw Jones arguing with both victims before the shooting and then flee in his car.
The trial was originally scheduled for March 2023. Despite prosecutor and police attempts, the key eyewitnesses refused to testify, meaning much of the evidence gathered would be inadmissible in the trial, according to the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
The Commonwealth's and Jones's attorneys agreed that Jones would plead guilty.
"I had no choice but to authorize a plea that guaranteed that Mr. Jones would go to prison for homicide," said Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi. "The alternative in this case was not a longer sentence; it was very likely to be a dismissal for lack of evidence, and I could not permit Mr. Jones to walk free with no consequences."
Norfolk Circuit Court Judge David W. Lannetti sentenced Jones to eight active years in prison with another 12 years suspended on the conditions that he have no contact with the Bazemore family and complete eight years of uniform good behavior, as well as an indeterminate period of supervised probation, according to a statement for the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
"My thoughts remain with the victims’ families as they work through this difficult time,” said Fatehi. “Cases like these are why we need a witness protection program in Virginia.”
