Milwaukee fatal shooting; teen charged in girlfriend’s death, bond set

Milwaukee teen charged in girlfriend?s shooting death

Milwaukee teen Javier Smith, 17, is charged with first-degree reckless homicide and weapon possession in the fatal shooting of his 15-year-old girlfriend, Azoria Jones, who was missing for more than a month.

MILWAUKEE - A Milwaukee teen missing for more than a month was found shot to death, and prosecutors say her 17-year-old boyfriend pulled the trigger.

What we know:

The accused is Javier Smith. He made his first court appearance Monday, Sept. 29.

Javier Smith

He has been charged with first-degree reckless homicide with use of a dangerous weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon by a person under 18.

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The backstory:

Smith is accused of killing his 15-year-old girlfriend, Azoria Jones, on Sept. 21 near 76th and Silver Spring. Prosecutors say Milwaukee County Transit System bus surveillance video captured the shooting around 10:20 p.m. and contradicted Smith’s explanation of what happened.

Detectives say Jones was found bleeding out on the sidewalk. Witnesses told police they heard a shot and saw a male running away.

Azoria Jones

"The use of the gun while walking down the street with his 15-year-old girlfriend … She got shot once in the chest, additionally enough to kill her," said Assistant District Attorney Gregg Herman.

According to the criminal complaint, Smith first denied shooting Jones but later admitted he did. He told officers he thought someone in a passing car was about to "buss it down" and claimed his gun went off when he put it under his arm. Detectives said the bus video does not show the car Smith described.

What they're saying:

"He’s a very young man. He has no record whatsoever – violent or otherwise," said defense attorney Christopher Donovan, who argued the shooting was an accident. "It is clear this was an accident. It was not anything he meant to have happened. He was cooperative with police."

Court Commissioner Barry Phillips questioned that account.

Javier Smith

"If this was in fact an accident, and he made a mistake and shot his girlfriend, then you don’t leave her side," Phillips said. "When the cops come you say, ‘I made a mistake and did this.’"

Police said Smith ran to his grandmother’s house and claimed someone else shot Jones. He was arrested two days later at his aunt’s house.

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"I know people are going to say he’s young, he panicked, he didn’t know what to do," Phillips said. "That’s what you got to live with after you make those decisions."

Detectives said he also admitted to getting rid of the gun but gave conflicting stories about where he put it.

What's next:

Smith’s bond was set at $100,000 cash. He is due back in court on Thursday, Oct. 9, for a preliminary hearing.

He is facing more than 60 years in prison if convicted.