Jurors took just under three hours to convict a Jacksonville man of killing a young boyfriend and girlfriend at a mall ATM nearly two years ago.
Raishion Gist, 22, was found guilty Thursday of first-degree murder and armed burglary, court records show. Sentencing is set for June 6, but first-degree murder convictions in Florida require life in prison unless prosecutors seek the death penalty.
Killed were Jamarion Barnes, 21, and Tyniya Powell, 20. They were shot at 5617 Bowden Road on the night of June 20, 2022. Barnes was found lying outside the driver’s door of the Toyota Corolla and Powell was found outside the passenger door, according to the incident. report.
Surveillance video from across Bowden Road at 9:18 that evening shows the last moments before they were shot while parked next to the ATM on the busy corner of Bowden and Spring Park roads.
The video, secured by Times-Union partner First Coast News, shows a man in dark clothing getting out of the backseat of the car, opening the driver’s door and grabbing something before walking away. He sprints back to close the driver’s door and quickly runs away.
Gist’s arrest report shows that drugs were involved. He had texted one of the victims earlier in the day that he needed drugs, according to a warrant.
Barnes’ 20-year-old brother, Jelijah Barnes, was killed earlier that same year on March 13 in the 7000 block of South Beekman Lake Drive, according to previous reporting by the Times-Union. Police have released very little about the circumstances, other than saying he was shot multiple times as he exited his vehicle at a home. No arrests have been reported.
This article originally appeared in the Florida Times-Union: Jurors convict killer of young couple outside ATM in Jacksonville
