Man Sentenced to 60 Years for Shooting Ex-Girlfriend with AR-15 in Milledgeville
Josquarn Lewis was convicted on August 7, 2024, of two counts of Aggravated Assault and one count of Home Invasion – 1st Degree, following a two-day trial. The charges stemmed from a series of violent incidents involving Lewis and Zaelon Jones, the mother of his child, culminating in a shooting on May 10, 2024.
Lewis and Jones had a tumultuous relationship and had been separated for several months but maintained contact to co-parent their child. Prior incidents of violence by Lewis against Jones were presented at the trial, providing a backdrop to the events that unfolded.
On March 26, 2024, Lewis showed up at Jones’ workplace, Hancock State Prison, around 5 a.m., armed with an AR-15 rifle, and threatened to kill Jones and himself. The following day, Jones’ friend called the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) to have Lewis trespassed from her apartment at 49 West Apartments in Milledgeville after he appeared at her door with the rifle, asking about Jones’ whereabouts. Jones subsequently obtained a Temporary Protective Order (TPO) against Lewis on May 1, 2024, following another incident on April 26, where Lewis pointed his AR-15 at her and fired near her head at his mother’s home in Sparta. Although the TPO was not officially served on Lewis, evidence suggested that he was aware of its existence.
The May 10 incident began when Lewis, a Sparta resident, drove to Milledgeville early in the morning, allegedly out of concern for their child, who had not been to daycare for several days. Lewis spotted Jones at her grandmother’s house as she was putting their son in the car. Jones then drove to the daycare in Sparta, where Lewis saw them again before leaving. He subsequently returned to Milledgeville and parked near the 49 West Apartments complex, where he knew Jones sometimes stayed with a friend. Despite having been previously trespassed from the property, Lewis walked through the woods to the back of the complex, carrying his AR-15.
Lewis waited in a vacant ground-floor apartment until Jones came downstairs. He then opened the door and pointed the rifle at her. Jones screamed, prompting her friend to call 911. Jones managed to push away from Lewis and ran up the stairs toward apartment T4. Lewis followed and fired through the front door as Jones and her friend tried to close it, hitting Jones in the inner thigh. Lewis forced his way into the apartment, chasing Jones while blood trailed their path. Jones’ friend, who had been sleeping and was unclothed, fled the apartment and continued her 911 call from outside.
Inside the apartment, Jones attempted to escape but fell behind the front door. Evidence showed that Lewis shot at her twice more as she lay on the ground, striking her in the chest. Jones had a 9mm pistol but only managed to fire one round before the gun jammed. No further evidence of the 9mm discharge was found at the scene. Lewis fled the apartment, returning to his car, and drove away. Despite her injuries, Jones managed to get to her car and drove herself to the hospital.
After his conviction, Lewis was sentenced to 60 years in prison, with the first 45 years to be served in the Department of Corrections. The case was prosecuted by Sydney E. Segers and Savanna Neal. The District Attorney’s Office extended its gratitude to the Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution.
