Man gets 18-year prison sentence after admitting guilt in shooting at Lexington cookout
A man charged with murder and other offenses has pleaded guilty to amended charges and was sentenced for a deadly shooting that took place on West Sixth Street in April 2019.
Damarcus Jones, 28, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter and seven years for being a convicted felon in possession of a handgun. Judge Julie Goodman handed down the sentence in Fayette Circuit Court Tuesday morning. The sentences will run concurrently, meaning Jones’ total prison time will be 18 years, according to court records.
His original charges were murder, being convicted felon in possession of a handgun and two charges of being a persistent felony offender. The two persistent felony offender charges were dismissed.
Jones was charged with the murder of Aaron Coney, 24, after a fight at the Coolavin Apartments, according to court records. A Facebook page for Coney said he was a father that worked for Amazon at the time of his death.
Lexington Police Detective Brandon Gibbs testified in early proceedings that Jones was invited to a cookout at the apartment complex on the night of the shooting.
As the party went on, people became intoxicated and a fight broke out between Jones and Coney, Gibbs testified.
Further testimony revealed Jones left the apartment after a fight and returned with a handgun and told a woman to “tell Aaron to come outside,” and forced his way inside.
The victim was near the kitchen when Jones walked in and fired four to five shots, according to court records. A gun was not found after the shooting, but Snapchat video from the party showed people passing a handgun, according to the detective.
Jones also told investigators he remembered being at the cookout and the fight, but did not remember getting a gun or firing it, according to Gibbs’ testimony.
In addition to jail time, Jones is ordered to pay $6,150.
This story was originally published July 20, 2022 at 9:36 AM.
