NORFOLK, Va. — Eight years: that's how long a Norfolk man who killed his girlfriend and her mom will spend in prison.
A judge sentenced Kenyatta Jones on Friday after he pleaded guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter.
He shot and killed Morgan Bazemore and her mom, Alicia Hereford, back in 2021 at Hunters Square Apartments.
Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney Ramin Fatehi said the shooting was caught on one witness' dash camera, while another witness saw Jones arguing with the victims before the shooting and then fleeing in his vehicle afterward.
Jones was initially charged with murder but prosecutors agreed to a plea deal earlier this year on lesser charges after these key witnesses refused to testify, making the dash-camera video inadmissible as evidence.
Jones will serve eight years in prison, with another 12 years suspended pending good behavior. He is also forbidden from having contact with the Bazemore family upon his release.
The Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney said this case reiterates the need for witness protection in Virginia.
"It pained me to make the plea offer in this case, but without the cooperation of the key eyewitnesses, I had no choice but to authorize a plea that guaranteed that Mr. Jones would go to prison for homicide," Fatehi said in a news release. "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."
Fatehi added, "This is why we need witnesses to cooperate and resources to help assure their safety. My thoughts remain with the victims’ families as they work through this difficult time."