Daniel Taylor Jones, a 22-year-old Lexington County man, was convicted last week by a Lexington County jury and sentenced to 40 years without parole for the murder of Barry Joe Chavis, Jr., which occurred on March 27, 2020, at 3630 Fish Hatchery Road in the Gaston area of Lexington County. Jones was also sentenced to 20 years for Assault and Battery of a High and Aggravated Nature and 5 years for Possession of a Weapon During the Commission of a Violent Crime all to run concurrently. The sentence was imposed by Circuit Court Judge Debra R. McCaslin following a five-day trial.

Barry Joe Chavis, Jr., age 28, was shot and killed in his front yard after being confronted by Jones and his codefendant, Christopher David Shumpert, after an argument about a small amount of money. After a brief altercation, Jones and Shumpert both fired guns toward Chavis, who was unarmed. Jones was armed with a .300 Blackout rifle and Shumpert was armed with a 9mm handgun. There were twenty-one rounds fired toward Chavis with two striking him in his back and he was killed instantly. Jones and Shumpert shot another individual twice, once in the leg and once in the stomach. He was transported to the hospital for treatment and released days later.

Several witnesses at the scene immediately identified Jones and Shumpert as the shooters and law enforcement began a search for them. Jones was apprehended in Lexington County later that night while the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division tracking team apprehended Shumpert at a hotel in Aiken County early the next morning. Both weapons used in the shooting were recovered at places associated with Jones. Jones, who testified in his own defense during trial, stated he was shooting at the ground and was shooting in self-defense. The evidence and testimony revealed the shooting was neither an accident nor an act of self-defense.

Both Jones and Shumpert were charged similarly. Shumpert was convicted by a Lexington County jury in March of 2023 and was also sentenced to 40 years in prison.

This investigation was led by Sgt. Michael “Joe” Hart and he was assisted by other investigators of the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department Major Crimes Unit as well as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and the Aiken County Sheriff’s Department.

Deputy Solicitor Rhonda W. Patterson and Assistant Solicitor Bradley Pogue prosecuted the case for the Eleventh Circuit Solicitor’s Office. Judge McCaslin commented that “this is another case of how our young people are killing each other stating it just has to stop.”