ROCKINGHAM — The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has released the name of the victim and suspect in a homicide investigation from late last week.
Sheriff Mark Gulledge said in a press release Thursday that investigators have obtained a warrant for an open count of murder for 24-year-old Jaleel Jabar Liles in the shooting death of 36-year-old Jonathan “Jon Jon” Chavis in East Rockingham.
Deputies responded to a call around 8:45 p.m. Friday, Feb. 11 of a man who was believed to have been struck by a vehicle at the corner of Mill Road and South Street.
The first patrol deputy to arrive on scene reportedly found Chavis unresponsive. While attempting to administer first aid to Chavis, investigators say the deputy found injuries that were “inconsistent” with being hit by a vehicle. However, no other details were given about his injuries in the original press release.
FirstHealth EMS later arrived and pronounced Chavis dead at the scene, according to the sheriff’s office.
Liles, who investigators say has an address listed on Sawgrass Road in Eagle Springs, has reportedly been staying in the East Rockingham area for the past several weeks. The sheriff’s office says Liles also has contacts in Hamlet and Laurinburg.
Records with the N.C. Department of Public Safety Division of Adult Correction show Liles also goes by “Bam Bam” and “Smoke.”
Liles is listed as a probation absconder.
He received an 18-month suspended sentence in October 2021 when convicted of receiving a stolen vehicle and resisting an officer in Hoke County.
Gulledge said Liles is to be considered armed and dangerous and asks that anyone with information on his whereabouts call 911 or Richmond County Crime Stoppers at 910-997-5454.
