Spalding County Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder of 11-Year-Old Girl
Kionta Parks, 23, of Griffin, has been sentenced to life in prison plus five years for the murder of 11-year-old Asijah Jones, who was fatally shot while sleeping in her bed. The sentencing was announced August 5, 2025, by Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr, Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney Marie G. Broder, and Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix.
Parks entered a guilty plea to all charges, which include Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault, Domestic Terrorism, two counts of violating the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony.
March 2023 Shooting
On March 13, 2023, Parks opened fire on a vehicle driven by a younger member of his own gang, Zoo Krew, as it turned into the Spalding Heights apartment complex. The car had a 3-year-old child inside. During the attack, Parks fired 28 rounds — 23 from a rifle and five from a 9mm handgun. One of those rifle rounds penetrated a nearby apartment wall and struck 11-year-old Asijah Jones, who was asleep next to her 9-year-old sister. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Her mother and brother were also inside the apartment.
Gang Involvement and Prior Violence
Authorities confirmed that Parks was a member of Zoo Krew, a street gang affiliated with the Rollin 20s Neighborhood Bloods. He lived at Northside Hills Apartments (formerly known as Spalding Heights), a known stronghold for the gang. Surveillance footage and witness accounts documented Parks frequently patrolling the complex armed with rifles and handguns.
Court records show Parks had a history of violent confrontations. One month before Asijah’s murder, on February 13, 2023, Parks was linked to another shooting at Spalding Heights where a younger gang member was shot in the arm. The shell casings from that incident matched the 9mm casings found at the scene of Asijah’s killing.
Aftermath and Sentencing
“This was an innocent child — a little girl who was simply asleep in her own home,” said Attorney General Chris Carr. “She deserved to feel safe. Instead, her life was taken by a man who used fear and violence to dominate his community.”
District Attorney Marie Broder added, “The trauma of this case has touched everyone involved in the investigation and prosecution. We are committed to honoring Asijah’s memory by continuing to fight against gang violence.”
Spalding County Sheriff Darrell Dix praised his deputies, special operations, and investigators for their work in assembling the case. “When Parks pled guilty, he stood in front of Asijah’s family and admitted he killed an 11-year-old child who had her whole life ahead of her.”
The case was investigated by the Spalding County Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted jointly by Senior Assistant Attorney General Cara Convery and Assistant Attorney General Ashton Jordan, along with the Griffin Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
Parks will serve his sentence in Georgia state prison with no possibility of parole on the life sentence.
