Jaydon Reid: Georgia Teen Admits To Killing Two People When He Was 14
A Georgia teen Jaydon Reid admitted on Thursday, during sentencing in a Cobb County courtroom, that he killed two people in 2014, when he was only 14-years-old.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Reid, now 17, told authorities that he shot and killed Terrance Banks, 23, and Sterling Hargrave, 21. He admitted to the shootings as part of a plea deal that will allow him to serve two life sentences, plus 15 years, with the possibility of parole.
According to court documents, Reid, of Austell, sat in the back seat of a car parked by the Wild Horse Creek Park in Powder Springs, Georgia, on March 16, 2014. He opened fire on both Banks and Hargrave while they were at the park. A resident heard gunshots and called police. When they arrived, they found both victims dead.
A police officer spotted Reid running through a line of trees. He followed him and found a 9 mm gun and a bag of marijuana tossed on the ground. The teen was cornered by police and ran back to the park, where he was apprehended. The victims’ DNA was found on Reid’s clothing and ballistics matched the gun found to the gun used on the victims. Due to his age at the time, Reid was initially taken to the Marietta Regional Youth Detention Center.
Authorities indicated that Reid had a long history of being affiliated with a Powder Springs gang called Ham Squad. He was also seen with both victims a few days before the shootings. Police believe the incident happened over a drug dispute and an armed robbery.
Reid was eventually charged as an adult and moved to the Cobb County Adult Detention Center on charges including two counts of homicide, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and the possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
According to the 2014 warrant for Reid, he was in possession of drugs, money, and the alleged murder weapon.
“Accused did take money and marijuana from Sterling Hargrave through the use of a pistol during a drug transaction…Accused did take money and marijuana from Terrance Banks through the use of a pistol during a drug transaction…Accused was found to be in possession of more than 1 oz. of marijuana. Total weight of marijuana was approximately 219g/7.7oz.”
When describing the incident in 2014, Cobb County Officer Mike Bowman stated the following.
“When the officers arrived, they discovered the bodies of two males, who were deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. The victims have been identified as 23-year-old Terrance Banks and 21-year-old Sterling Hargrave, both of Powder Springs.”
Shortly after Reid’s arrest, a local area student, McEachern High School senior Alexzandra Valentine, insinuated that despite the suspect’s age, he shouldn’t be given a free pass because he’s a minor. She also stated that no one at her school was shocked by the news, since violence seemed to be increasing among her peers.
“You really just can’t use the phrase, ‘Oh they’re just kids’ anymore.'”
During a court hearing on Thursday, Reid’s attorney, Jimmy Berry, argued that his client had gotten “mixed up in the wrong crowd” at an early age, and is now remorseful for his actions. Cobb County judge Ann Harris, however, addressed Reid, and told him he was a part of the wrong crowd.
“There are two people who are dead, sir, and there’s no such thing as closure. You may have been hanging with the wrong crowd, but at some point you became the wrong crowd.”
Harris also urged Reid to do something productive with his life while in prison, such as completing his GED.
Jaydon Reid will serve two life sentences that must run concurrently, meaning the sentences are to be served at the same time. He’ll be 30-years-old before he’s eligible for parole.
[Image via Cobb County Sheriff’s Office]
