UPDATE: Jury convicts two men of felony murder in 2021 Macon church parking lot shooting

UPDATE (8/18/25): A Bibb County jury convicted Jaylen Smith and Jordan Mullis of felony murder Saturday afternoon in the November 19, 2021, shooting death of 18-year-old Montaveous Raines Jr., according to a news release from the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

The jury returned its verdict after about two hours of deliberation. The trial began Monday, August 11.

Prosecutors said Raines, who had just graduated from high school in 2021, was gunned down in the parking lot of Lake Wildwood Baptist Church at 701 Greentree Parkway. He was shot multiple times in the back, and the fatal shot was to his head. Forensic evidence showed the head wound was fired from about five feet away, with soot residue found on his head covering, prosecutors said.

Both Smith and Mullis testified they acted in self-defense during a robbery attempt by Raines. Prosecutors argued the evidence did not support those claims. According to the release, no gun or shell casings were recovered from Raines, while shell casings at the scene matched Mullis’ gun and the caliber of Smith’s weapon, which Smith admitted he disposed of after the shooting.

“Montaveous was an 18-year-old young man with his whole life ahead of him when these defendants chose to resolve a petty drug dispute with deadly violence,” District Attorney Anita Howard said. “This jury saw through their fabricated self-defense claims and delivered justice for a family that has endured unimaginable loss. While nothing can bring Montaveous back, we hope this verdict provides some measure of closure and demonstrates that those who bring violence to our community will be held accountable.”

The District Attorney’s Office said the State and the victim’s family asked for the maximum sentence of life without parole. Smith and Mullis were each sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

ORIGINAL STORY (12/6/21):

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A third person is in custody in connection with a shooting that left a Macon teenager dead.

Bibb County Sheriff’s Violent Crimes Investigators served arrest warrants for 19-year-old Mia Simone Hawkins in connection with 18-year-old Montaveous Raines Jr.’s death.

Deputies responded to the parking lot of 701 Greentree Parkway just after 8 p.m. on Friday, November 19.

Upon arrival, deputies located Raines unresponsive with gunshot wounds to the upper body. He was pronounced dead by Deputy Coroner Luann Stone.

Hawkins was transported to the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center and charged with murder. She is being held without bond.

Deputies arrested Jaylen Smith and Jordan Mullis on murder charges in the same case last week.

Photo credit to Bibb County Sheriff’s Office