JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 15-year-old is accused of shooting and killing an 18-year-old in January in a family subdivision on Jacksonville’s Northside, according to Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office records.
Despite being 15, Geron Studemire is in the Duval County jail on a murder charge because he’s being charged as an adult.
He turned himself in for a different gun-related crime in February, but now, he’s charged with second-degree murder in the death of Jadyn Williams.
The shooting happened Jan. 30 on Sandle Drive near Hanford Street, according to JSO records.
News4JAX spoke with a man who called 911 after hearing gunfire in the area.
“I thought it was fireworks at first,” said the man, who wants to remain anonymous. “When we walked down the street, we saw that there was a car just sitting down the street, and they were deceased in the car.”
Records show Studemire is accused of attempting to rob the teen before shooting him and taking off.
On Feb. 23, JSO put an alert out on social media, saying they were looking for Studemire, who was accused of bringing a gun on a school campus. Studemire turned himself in but wasn’t charged in the deadly shooting until March.
“How did he get another gun? Where did he get the gun from? How does his parent not know that this was what their child was up to?” said the man who called 911.
According to records, Studemire’s father, Gerod Studemire, was sentenced to 40 years in prison in the 2018 murder of Jamel Kelly, his former stepson. Geron and Kelly’s mother, Stacey Studemire, was also charged in connection with Kelly’s death. Kelly was missing for months before his body was found in a shallow grave, according to police.
Williams’ mother sent News4JAX a statement saying: “My son did not deserve to be murdered and no amount of prison time will bring my son back. I actually feel bad for Geron because he just played the cards he was dealt, he had no guidance and this is the outcome. Just keep my family in prayer as I try to find peace!”
And esidents of the Northside subdivision are hoping the violence stays away from their neighborhood.
Along with second-degree murder, records show Studemire is charged with attempted robbery and possession of a firearm by a delinquent.