Alton teen convicted of drive-by killing of 11-year-old

An Alton teen has been convicted of the murder of an 11-year-old boy in a drive-by shooting in 2016.

Ta’Mon Ford was convicted Tuesday after a brief trial on charges of first-degree murder. He was charged three days after the drive-by shooting outside the Alton Acres Youth Center on Jan. 11, 2016. Ronnell Jones, 11, was shot once in the back. He was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Ford, then 18, was accused of firing a 9mm handgun from a red 1999 Oldsmobile Alero as he passed the youth center that day. Police had said there was a long-running dispute between Ford and other young people on social media, and there had been talk of a fight taking place that day, but no hint that weapons were involved.

Ronnell wasn’t part of the dispute or any fight, according to police. He was just part of a crowd of more than 20 young people hanging out at Alton Acres that day. He was playing basketball, according to his brother at the time. Armoni Jones was not at the center when his brother was killed, but was at home playing a game when a friend came running over to tell him what had happened.

“Who goes to a neighborhood where kids are playing and starts shooting?” Armoni said at the time.

Police and prosecutors at the time called Ronnell’s death a “senseless murder.”

“The death of this young boy was a horrible tragedy for his family and our whole community,” said Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons in a statement. “The senseless acts of this defendant robbed the victims of a loved one, and shattered the peace and innocence of every family in the neighborhood.”

Ford was tried in a two-day bench trial without a jury before Associate Judge Neil Schroeder. He was convicted on Tuesday afternoon and will remain in custody at the Madison County Jail pending sentencing. He faces between 20 and 60 years in prison, but because a firearm was used, he is eligible for a 25-year extension on his sentence, of which he will be required to serve 100 percent.

“With this verdict we begin the process of healing for the family and community, and I would ask everyone to support and pray for them as they continue this long and extremely difficult journey,” Gibbons said.

This story was originally published April 25, 2017 at 4:57 PM with the headline "Alton teen convicted of drive-by killing of 11-year-old."