ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Demondarrius Jaquan Hicks, Jotorious Devante Cox and Mckeal Raynard Lamar, Jr., have been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of 30-year-old Kartavious Jones in Dougherty County. The defendants, who are members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods, shot and killed Jones on Oct. 9, 2018, in Albany, Georgia. The Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit presented evidence to a Dougherty County Jury, which found the defendants guilty on Feb. 16, 2024, following a 10-day trial.

“Kartavious Jones would still be alive today were it not for the senseless and violent acts of these three defendants," said Carr. "To them, one dollar and a pair of Nike slides was worth the harm inflicted upon another human being and the devastation it’s caused the entire Jones family. While nothing can undo the tragedy that occurred that night in Albany, we’re proud to see justice served, and we will keep fighting to protect all of our fellow Georgians.”

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorneys General Michael Tabarrok and Lee M. Stoy, Jr. of the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit. It was investigated by the Albany Police Department’s Robbery/Homicide Unit. The Albany Police Department’s Gang Task Force also assisted in the investigation.

“I applaud the efforts of the State of Georgia Attorney General Office in obtaining these guilty verdicts," said Albany Police Chief Michael Persley. "The family members of the victim and the community members of Albany-Dougherty County should rest in knowing that justice has been served. We will use all resources available to work in keeping Albany safe."

The Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit is based in Atlanta, with regional, satellite prosecutors and investigators in Albany and Augusta, Georgia. Since its creation in July 2022, this statewide Unit has secured 11 convictions in Dougherty County alone and 32 overall.

Sentencing

The defendants were sentenced by Dougherty County Superior Court Judge Victoria Darrisaw on April 9, 2024.

Demondarrius Jaquan Hicks (also known as “CK” and “Quan”), 23, of Albany, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 25 years. The defendant was previously found guilty of the following charges.

  • 1 count of Malice Murder
  • 2 counts of Felony Murder
  • 1 count of Aggravated Assault
  • 1 count of Armed Robbery
  • 15 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
  • 1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Jotorious Devante Cox (also known as “Baby Joe” and “Wartime”), 23, of Albany, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 10 years. The defendant was previously found guilty of the following charges.

  • 1 count of Felony Murder
  • 1 count of Armed Robbery
  • 11 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act
  • 1 count of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony

Mckeal Raynard Lamar, Jr. (also known as “Kel” and “Righteous”), 23, of Albany, was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. The defendant was previously found guilty of the following charges.

  • 1 count of Felony Murder
  • 1 count of Armed Robbery
  • 9 counts of Violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act

Case Summary

On Oct. 9, 2018, around 4 a.m., Demondarrius Hicks, Jotorious Cox, Mckeal Lamar, Jr., and Jamarrie Harvey – who are all members of the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods – were in the car when they saw Kartavious Jones, the victim in this case. Words were exchanged, leading those in the vehicle to believe Jones to be a member of the Crips. The defendants stopped, exited the vehicle, and began to assault Jones in an attempt to rob him. The incident quickly escalated, with Harvey and Hicks firing multiple shots at Jones. The defendants then stole $1 and one pair of Nike Slide shoes from the victim and left the scene.

Jones died as a result of his injuries. He was found by two City of Albany employees lying face down in a field in a residential neighborhood.

The Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods is a set of the larger criminal street gang known as the Bloods. Based out of Inglewood, California, the Inglewood Family Gangster Bloods is one of the oldest Blood sets. It has several subsets, including the Rollin 80’s (most common in Albany, Georgia), 77th Street, and Ransom Gang.

This case was indicted by the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit in October 2022.

Jamarrie Harvey resolved his case by way of a guilty plea prior to trial.

About the Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit

In 2022, with the support of Governor Brian Kemp and members of the General Assembly, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia’s first statewide Gang Prosecution Unit.

Since it began its historic work on July 1, 2022, the Gang Prosecution Unit has secured 32 convictions and indicted 105 people in Athens-Clarke, Barrow, Bryan, Clayton, Cobb, DeKalb, Dougherty, Fulton, Gwinnett, Laurens, Muscogee, and Thomas counties.

The Gang Prosecution Unit is housed in the Attorney General’s Prosecution Division, which also includes Carr’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and his Public Integrity and White Collar Crime Unit.

Contact

Communications Director Kara Richardson

[email protected]