MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man was convicted on Thursday of first-degree murder and other felony counts in a 2014 home invasion in which the homeowner was shot to death and his girlfriend was injured.
According to the Shelby County District Attorney's Office, Thaddeus Money, 35, was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, especially aggravated robbery, aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary (acting in concert), and employment of a firearm in the commission of a dangerous felony.
The murder conviction carries a life sentence in prison. Money will be sentenced on the other offenses in January and two other men charged in the case are awaiting trial.
According to a release, it happened just after 8 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2014, at a home on N. Walnut Bend Road near Trinity Road. The victims had just returned home when two men in stocking masks made their way inside and demanded money.
Homeowner Jarmelle 'JoJo' Jones, 26, tried to disarm one of the intruders but was shot in the chest. His girlfriend, then 27, was wounded in the leg while she was praying out loud.
The gunmen took money, a cellphone, and the woman's keys as they ran out of the house and drove away in Jones' black Dodge Charger. The car was found at 4:30 the next morning burning on Windemere Road in Raleigh.
Money was developed as a suspect and was arrested in 2016.
Jones was a graduate of the University of Memphis where he was a popular entrepreneur, mentor to young children, party promoter and a manager on the basketball team during its run to the Final Four championship game.
