Man shot mother of his children as she dropped their 4-year-old off at his grandma's, killed her in car while child was in backseat, cops say

Jermis Jones, 44, will spend the rest of his life in prison after a Tennessee court sentenced him for killing the mother of his child.

The Haywood County Circuit Court sentenced Jones on Monday to life in prison plus 34 years for the first-degree murder of Perish Tyus, according to an announcement from the Office of the District Attorney General for the 28th Judicial District of Tennessee. Jones shot Tyus as she dropped their 4-year-old child off at his mother’s home.

A jury needed just two days in November to convict Jones on the murder charge, along with attempted second-degree murder, aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, employing a firearm during the commission of a dangerous felony, being a felon in possession of a firearm, tampering with evidence, and retaliation for past action. The trial concluded with a sentencing that will keep Jones behind bars for the remainder of his life.

On Dec. 18, 2022, Tyus — whose age remains unclear — was dropping off her 4-year-old son, whom she shared with Jones, “at the paternal grandmother’s residence” while the defendant “laid in wait,” authorities recounted. Tyus sat in the driver’s seat of her vehicle with her cousin in the passenger seat and her child in the back in his car seat.

Jones approached the vehicle and shot Tyus four times, “immediately killing her,” the prosecutorial agency added. One bullet struck the passenger side of the vehicle, while another “was found lodged in the door next to” the child’s car seat.

Authorities did not mention any physical injuries to the cousin or child.

Jones then fled the area, disposed of the gun he’d used, “and hid in a carport storage closet,” where officers arrested him, the DA’s office said, noting that “he made threats to the responding officers.” The defendant has also racked up three drug felony convictions.

“Our hearts again go out to Ms. Tyus’s family[,] this was a senseless, violent, act by an ex-domestic partner,” said 28th Judicial District Attorney General Frederick H. Agee. “Unless Mr. Jones gets some relief at the Court of the Appeals, he will never walk as a free man again and the community is safer for that.”