Man sentenced for role in deadly 2021 shooting that killed 14-year-old boy
A 20-year-old man was sentenced Tuesday morning to 20 years in prison for his role in the shooting death of a 14-year-old boy two years ago during a drug robbery at a central Lubbock Apartment.
Mifford Hannon III appeared in the 140th District Court with his attorney, Jesse Mendez, and pleaded guilty to a first-degree felony count of aggravated robbery in connection with a June 9, 2021, drug rip that erupted in a gun battle that killed Dequavion Traylor at the Ella Apartments in the 1100 block of 58th Street.
The offense carries a punishment of five years to life in prison. He will have to serve half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
He was initially charged with a count of murder, also a first-degree felony. However in exchange for his plea his murder charge was dismissed.
Traylor's family sat in the gallery and watched the plea hearing.
He is the only adult in the crew of seven people arrested by Lubbock police in connection with the deadly shooting.
Hannon will have to serve half of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
A robbery turns deadly
Lubbock police officers responding to a shots fired call at the apartment found Traylor suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by ambulance to University Medical Center where he died.
An initial investigation indicated the teen was shot during a robbery at the apartment out of which marijuana was being sold. Jakhydryon Nhrius Cheatham, 20, and Christopher Trevino, 26, were charged with a state jail felony count of possession of between 4 ounces to 5 pounds of marijuana.
Cheatham pleaded guilty in August to a lesser-included charge of attempted possession of between 4 ounces to 5 pounds of marijuana in exchange for time served, according to court records. Trevino's case is still pending.
Cheatham told police that he, Trevino, Traylor and another person were at the apartment where he was selling marijuana. He said Traylor answered a knock at the door and encountered three armed people wearing masks and dark clothing, according to an arrest warrant.
The other witness told investigators Traylor refused to drop to the ground and one of the masked men shot him, the warrant states. Cheatham told police the masked men began firing and he, Traylor and another person in the apartment fired back.
Cheatham told investigators he jumped out of a window during the gun battle, the warrant states.
Trevino, whose sister is the registered tenant of the apartment, called 911, telling dispatchers "they were robbed and that they shot back." However, Trevino told police at the scene he wasn't at the apartment during the gun battle.
Meanwhile, the robbers were seen fleeing the scene in a white pickup truck.
Investigators found Snapchat videos from that night showing Trevino, wearing the same clothes, standing in the kitchen with jars that contained marijuana. Traylor can be seen in one of the videos and Cheatham can be heard in the background saying, "Drug dealing gets you big things."
A search of the apartment yielded more than 6 ounces of marijuana.
Police arrested Cheatham and Trevino for the marijuana found at the apartment.
Trevino, who was arrested on June 23, 2021, was released on bond about a week later, according to court records.
About six days after the shooting, Lubbock police arrested Hannon and his 16-year-old brother, who reportedly admitted to shooting Traylor.
The two told police they were part of a crew of seven people who planned the robbery at the apartment.
On June 16, 2021 police officials announced the arrests of five more teenagers for their alleged roles in the botched robbery. Those cases have also been disposed either through community supervision or their cases were dismissed, officials with the Lubbock County District Attorney said.
Hannon was booked into the Lubbock County Detention Center.
His brother, Daishious, was taken to the Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center.
Daishious Hannon pleaded guilty in December 2021 to a count of murder in exchange for a determinate sentence of 20 years in prison.
He began serving his sentence in the Texas Juvenile Justice Department.
Juveniles handed determinate prison sentences can be released after they become adults if a court determines after a hearing that release is appropriate.
In late August, Daishious Hannon appeared in the 140th District Court for a transfer hearing where District Judge Douglas Freitag determined he should continue serving his sentence in the adult prison system.
Prison records show he is held at the Byrd Unit in Huntsville.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Man admits to role in deadly 2021 shooting that killed 14-year-old
