It took the jury less than an hour to convict Jereme Lamond Jones of the 2021 murder of Randy Johnson at the Golden Nugget in Biloxi, Mississippi. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Quick verdict

A former Alabama high school and college football star has been convicted of a 2021 murder at the Golden Nugget casino in Biloxi, Mississippi, a shocking killing that prosecutors called an “execution.” The jury took less than an hour on Thursday to find Jereme Lamond Jones guilty of the first-degree murder of Randy Johnson, a well-known barber and father of three from Gulfport.

You wouldn’t buy that story anywhere else in your life.”

“Our defendant is chasing an unarmed man who’s running away from him, and he’s trying to tell you it’s self defense,” Harrison County (MS) District Attorney Crosby Parker said in closing arguments. “You wouldn’t buy that story anywhere else in your life. You wouldn’t buy it to work. You wouldn’t buy it at home. Don’t buy it here. It’s ridiculous.”

According to the Sun Herald, Jones will spend the remainder of his life in prison.

Murdered in cold blood

Golden Nugget security footage plus witness testimony showed the jury exactly what happened the night of September 18, 2021. Johnson was at the casino with his friend, Tamara Willis, to celebrate her birthday. Jones arrived about an hour after them.

Jones then approached Johnson and asked if he wanted “to take it outside.”

Sitting at the bar, Johnson and Willis noticed that Jones kept looking at them. Jones then approached Johnson and asked if he wanted “to take it outside.” When Willis asked Jones what was the matter, he replied, “I don’t have a problem with you,” adding the homophobic comment that Johnson was looking at him like he had “heels on.”

The two men went to the parking garage, where Johnson threw the first punches. The two fought and then Johnson pulled Jones “toward the ground,” as described by the Sun Herald. Jones’ gun and holster fell off and Johnson ran back into the casino. He told Willis that Jones had a gun and kept running.

Dashing amongst the gaming tables, Johnson eventually tripped and fell. It was then that Jones caught up to him and shot him ten times.

Johnson was respected, loved by everyone

Randy Johnson, who was just a couple months shy of his 42nd birthday, owned the CUTS barbershop in Gulfport. In a memorial, WXXV News 25 said that when he was growing up, the other guys in the neighborhood admired him and “wanted to be as cool as him.”

Childhood friend Andrew Greyer called Johnson “a real humble person.”

Randy was cool with everyone. He always smiled.”

“He owned a barbershop and all the kids loved him,” Greyer continued. “Randy was cool with everyone. He always smiled. If Randy had a bad day he wouldn’t even show. We all are still in disbelief. He was a good person that everyone gravitates to.”

Jacques Cox, another childhood friend, was crestfallen, especially because it was yet another incident of gun violence that took an innocent life. “….it was a complete misunderstanding and now his life is gone. But in the meantime, I’m just going to say some uplifting words for him and we’re going to keep him alive. Everybody loved him.”