He was killed in a barber’s chair. It was over a few hundred dollars, court records say
A 2021 shooting at a Dover-area barbershop that left one man dead and resulted in first-degree murder charges against two others stemmed from a dispute over a few hundred dollars owed to one of the suspects, court documents say.
Javon Jones, 23, was shot twice in the torso as he sat in a barber's chair at Uplift Barber Shop on South Governors Avenue on May 14, 2021. It was about 5:40 p.m. on a Friday.
According to court documents, Kyree Robinson, now 25, entered the front door of the barbershop and pulled a gun from his waistband. He fired it three times, hitting Jones twice, the documents say. Jones, who was awaiting a haircut, fell to the ground.
BACKGROUND: Second man charged with murder in 2021 fatal shooting inside Dover-area barbershop
Robinson and Jesean Coverdale, now 19, ran from the barbershop after the shooting. Robinson was charged with murder and gun charges last year, while Coverdale was charged with murder and conspiracy Tuesday. Coverdale, court documents say, never stepped foot inside the barbershop.
Though the teen didn't fire a gun, nor did he enter the business, Delaware law says because he participated in the crime, he can be charged with murder.
Why shoot?
According to an arrest warrant for Coverdale, several hours before the shooting, the then-17-year-old texted Jones from his mother's phone.
Jones didn't recognize the phone number, documents say, and asked Coverdale to identify himself. Coverdale did, the warrant says, and Jones replied: "sorry, yanno how dis s--- go."
Coverdale, court documents claim, responded, "It's up, you took my money." Jones wrote back that it was only $100, which Coverdale then replied: "Nah it was 2 I ain't talkin it's over."
Jones answered that it was "part of the game youngin," adding that Coverdale should "Charge it to da game."
Apparently displeased by this response, court documents detail that about three hours later, Coverdale and Robinson, who were together in a car, asked a woman who lives in Jones' neighborhood where the young man was. She told the duo that Jones was at the barbershop.
ROBINSON ARRESTED: Man charged with fatally shooting another man inside a barbershop last year
When Coverdale and Robinson drove by the business moments later, Jones was standing outside, court documents say. But by the time they parked their car at a nearby mechanic and walked over to the barbershop, Jones was already inside.
Surveillance video obtained by detectives showed Coverdale walking in front of Robinson toward the front of the shop. As he peered in through a glass window, Coverdale confirmed that Jones was inside, according to the arrest warrant.
Before Coverdale could enter the barbershop, however, he was called over to a nearby car. He told police in April 2022 that the person in the car wanted to buy marijuana.
INITIAL STORY: Dover man dies in shooting at a barbershop near Rodney Village, police say
As he was speaking with the person, he told police, he heard several shots and began running back to where he and Robinson had parked the car. When they arrived there, Robinson handed Coverdale the gun, the arrest warrant says, and the two fled north on Route 13 into Dover.
Jones was rushed to a hospital by responding EMS units but was pronounced dead.
Court records show Robinson is set to go to trial in December. A preliminary hearing for Coverdale is set for Aug. 4.
Got a tip? Send to Isabel Hughes at ihughes@delawareonline.com or 302-324-2785. For all things breaking news, follow her on Twitter at @izzihughes_
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Dover barbershop killing stemmed from cash owed to suspect: Court docs
