Brunswick County Man Convicted of Murder in Shooting Deaths of Demarcus Antonio Williams Jr. and Kevin Edmonds

Accident – Death – Obituary News : A Brunswick County resident is facing the possibility of spending 43 years behind bars after being found guilty of murder in the shooting deaths of two men in South Hill in January 2022. Jadeen Person of White Plains was convicted of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony by a Mecklenburg County Circuit Court jury. The court deliberated for slightly over an hour before reaching a verdict.

The fatal shooting claimed the lives of Demarcus Antonio Williams Jr. of Freeman and Person’s brother, Kevin Edmonds of Rawlings. However, Person was not charged with the death of his brother. According to Commonwealth’s Attorney Allen Nash, evidence presented during the two-day trial suggested that Edmonds was likely killed by Williams in self-defense during a struggle.

Throughout the investigation and trial, Nash revealed that Person had repeatedly lied about the events leading up to the shooting deaths. Initially, Person claimed that Williams had broken into his residence on N. Brunswick Street in South Hill in an attempted robbery, and he shot Williams in self-defense. Later, Person changed his story, stating that he shot Williams to protect his brother during a scuffle between Edmonds and Williams on the floor.

When questioned about why he lied to the police and prosecutors, Person responded that he was scared. However, Nash argued that the truth about the events of that night differed greatly from Person’s account. The evidence presented during the trial indicated that Person had lured Williams to the house with the intention of robbing him.

According to the facts laid out by Nash and deputy prosecutor Brian Butler, Williams and another man, Montavius Royal, had gone to the house on N. Brunswick Street to sell marijuana sometime before 11 p.m. on January 19, 2022. Person, wearing a mask, let them into the residence. Shortly after their arrival, Royal asked Person for some water. While Person was out of the room, a second masked individual appeared from behind a curtain and shot Williams.

During the altercation, Williams managed to fire one shot from his own gun, which struck and killed the second masked person, later identified as Edmonds. Royal testified that after the exchange of gunfire between Williams and Edmonds, the first masked person returned to the room and shot Williams with a 9 mm Glock pistol.

Williams sustained nine gunshot wounds, six from a Glock pistol and three from a Smith & Wesson gun fired by Edmonds, according to the findings of the medical examiners. After the gunfire, Royal fled the house and sought help from an off-duty police officer he encountered.

When police arrived at the scene, they discovered Williams and Edmonds inside the house, both suffering from gunshot wounds. Williams was already deceased, and his body was sent to the medical examiner’s office in Richmond. Edmonds, who had sustained serious injuries, was airlifted to a Richmond hospital but died during surgery.

Nash disclosed that at least three other individuals were present in the house when the police arrived. Two of them had been in a back room playing video games and were not involved in the shooting. The third man, Thomas Person, allegedly moved the firearms away from the scene. Thomas Person has been charged with possession of a firearm by a violent felon and is awaiting trial.

Both Jadeen and Thomas Person stayed at the house following the shooting and were present when the police arrived. Jadeen waived his Miranda rights and agreed to speak with the police about the incident. Initially, he claimed that Williams and Royal had broken into his home, denying any knowledge of or prior contact with Williams. However, during a subsequent interview, after being presented with evidence from Williams’ phone showing their communication about the drug purchase, Person changed his story.

A search of Person’s home uncovered marijuana hidden in his closet. As the investigation progressed, Person provided a third version of events to the police. In this version, Person stated that when he returned to the main room after getting water for Royal, he found Edmonds and Williams fighting over Williams’ gun. According to Person, the gun discharged, resulting in Williams’ death. Person admitted that he never actually saw Williams in possession of a gun.

It was only after the police presented evidence showing that Person’s hands tested positive for gunshot residue that he admitted to firing his weapon at Williams. However, he continued to claim that it was an act of self-defense, protecting his brother from Williams’ attack.

The jury, consisting of an equal balance of men and women and a mix of African American and white jurors, rejected Person’s self-defense claims. Instead of convicting him of first-degree premeditated murder or aggravated manslaughter, the jury settled on a second-degree murder charge.

Person had been out on bond prior to the trial, but Circuit Judge S. Anderson Nelson revoked his bond and ordered his detention at Meherrin River Regional Jail until sentencing. The sentencing is scheduled for February 9. If convicted of second-degree murder, Person could face a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. Additionally, there is a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for the charge of using a firearm in the commission of a felony. This three-year sentence will be served consecutively with any other sentence imposed by Judge Nelson..