HOPEWELL, Va. (WRIC) — The man who police suspect shot and killed Willie Studivant at a Hopewell gas station on Sunday, April 3, has been identified and is on the run.
Police described Demonte Jones as a 25-year-old Black male, with black hair and brown eyes. His stature is described as 6 foot and 2 inches tall, weighing about 170 pounds.
Jones is considered to be “armed and extremely dangerous” by Hopewell Police.
Jones is wanted for second-degree murder, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, reckless handling of a firearm and discharge of a firearm in public.
Members of the Hopewell Criminal Investigations Unit are currently investigating the incident.
Anyone with information on Jones or his potential whereabouts is encouraged to contact Lead Detective Cameron List of the Criminal Investigations Unit at 804-541-2284 or call the anonymous Crime Solvers hotline at 804-541-2202.
The name, Demonte Kyrek Jones, has multiple case results on the Virginia Judiciary website; including multiple counts of petit larceny, a concealed weapon charge and a charge for pointing or brandishing a firearm. The only serious violent crime charge is for malicious wounding in 2016; a class three felony.
At around 2:50 a.m., on April 3, Hopewell Police arrived at a Wawa in the 900 block of Colonial Corner Drive for a reported shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located Studivant lying on the ground near a fuel pump suffering from several gunshot wounds. He was transferred to John Randolph Medical Center where he later died from his injuries.
Witnesses reported to police that a verbal argument broke out between Studivant and another person.
That person was described as a Black male, wearing a black hat, dark hooded sweatshirt, and dark sweatpants with white striping on the outside of the pants leg. He was described as being around 6 feet, 1 inch tall, weighing between 150 to 175 pounds, in his mid to late twenties, with short facial hair and a short dreaded hairstyle. That individual is now believed to be Jones.
