JONESBORO, Ark. – A 20-year-old suspect wanted for first-degree murder is making posts on Facebook claiming he is innocent – and more.
Chauncey Jovon Thomas, 19, of Jonesboro, and Kalius Jaciel Lane, 20, also of Jonesboro, were both wanted for first degree murder and six counts of first degree battery in the early Sunday downtown shooting which claimed the life of Monterio Barnes, 18, of Jonesboro.
Thomas turned himself into police after a warrant was issued for his arrest Sunday, JPD announced in a release Sunday afternoon. Lane was still wanted and is considered armed and dangerous.
Officers were dispatched to the chaotic scene at 311-B South Main St. about 12:23 Sunday morning. Officers arrived and found and began rendering aid to a number of gunshot victims at The Basement – a party venue – where a party was taking place. The victims were members of a large group of people attending a party in the basement area of the building. They were shot when an altercation broke out among some of the people at the party.
The chaos spilled out into the streets, where police sealed off a portion of downtown on both Main and Union Streets. A video posted by The Jonesboro Sun shows the chaos and aftermath.
In the hours that followed, witnesses reached out to authorities and to NEA Report, too, indicating a suspect, possibly the shooter, was known as “KK.” Police later released the two suspects’ names.
Lane, on his personal Facebook profile “Kizzle Kizzle,” began making posts in the hours that followed the incident. We’ve compiled a timeline of the posts as of 5 p.m. Sunday (below). In the posts, the suspect appears to claim he is innocent, name another suspect and even takes issue with some of the posts by witnesses. The suspect also insists he is not willing to turn himself in on the page.
However, he appears to have a criminal record. A post just ten days prior, on May 4, indicated Lane was angry he couldn’t socialize due to “warrants.” Many posts on his wall also indicate drug use.
Anyone with information regarding Lane’s whereabouts may contact the Jonesboro Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division at (870) 935-6710, JPD’s Desk Sergeant at (870) 935-5657, or Crime Stoppers at 935-7867. Tips can be anonymous.
As police searched for the fugitive suspect, the mother of the victim grieved at her home, on Mother’s Day, sources close to the family told NEA Report. On a day where she was supposed to feel love from her child, the mother must forever remember this as the date she lost her child.
“They took my baby,” the mother of Barnes said in tears, according to sources.
The other victims included:
- Stefan Hawthorne, 18 of Jonesboro
- Carey Bell, 21 of Jonesboro
- Steven Brimlett, 38 of Jonesboro
- Asia Smith, 25 of Jonesboro
- Devontae Fowler, 19 of Jonesboro
- Cordarius Jackson, 18 of Jonesboro
Suspect’s (Lane) Facebook post timeline:
At 9:39 a.m., Lane posted “Wake and bake.”
10:03 a.m. – Lane shared the press release from JPD, saying, “This shxt sad mfa slandering my name frfr ? Case beat”
10:19 a.m. – He posted “Feds wanna lace put me on murders tryna case ??????♂️?”
11:22 a.m. – “The rest of my life just gone over some bs Ian [I Didn’t] do. Mfa wanna cover up for the next Mfas ? Dirty world frfr ??♂️??”
12:07 p.m. – The suspect shared his clothing from the night before, saying he couldn’t anyone with “these” bright colors.
12:16 p.m. – “Justice for 50???????”
12:21 p.m. – The suspect posts that “niggahs” are too weak and that he didn’t need a pistol. He rhetorically asked what he would be shooting for.
12:32 p.m. and 12:34 p.m. – Two more posts about receiving hate over the shooting – and what appears to be an allegation against “Malik,” saying he was the shooter. He also said he would look bad killing his “customer.”
12:46 p.m. – The suspect posts a photo of JPD cruisers behind a silver car, saying the police are “harassing” his baby’s mother.
12:57 p.m. –
4:38 p.m. – 
5:34 p.m. – 
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