MARION COUNTY, FL (352today.com) – The Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) arrested 15-year-old Jada Spence on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, for the aggravated manslaughter Marshaun Jones, 14.
The shooting occurred on Oct. 23 in a residence within the Marion Oaks subdivision. Deputies arrived around 6 p.m. to find Jones deceased from a gunshot wound. Investigators learned that Spence, Jones, and several others had been hanging out and smoking marijuana when Spence allegedly discharged a firearm, striking Jones.
Initially, MCSO says that Spence claimed the gun accidentally went off after being dropped. However, video evidence and witness statements contradicted her account. Spence, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, later admitted to detectives that she believed the firearm was unloaded after hearing Jones pull the trigger moments earlier. She then picked it up and fired, fatally wounding him.
Based on the evidence, including security footage and Spence’s own statements, detectives charged her with Aggravated Manslaughter of a Child. The investigation is ongoing.
Corrected to reflect that Spence was 14 at the time of the shooting. She is now 15.