Greenville, MS—Jonathan Driver of Etta, MS, was convicted of Second Degree Murder
and Attempted Murder in Washington County following his guilty pleas on Monday,
District Attorney Dewayne Richardson announced today.
With his trial scheduled to take place in July, Driver pled guilty at the deadline Monday
morning. Witnesses set to appear at the pending trial would have provided testimony that
during the afternoon of December 9, 2018, Driver lured Daneisha Carey, who was
approximately six months with child, out of her home under the guise of returning her
cell phone which may have been the subject of a disagreement between the two. Shortly
after walking out of the house, Driver gunned Carey down. Her brother and father who
were inside heard the shots and ran outside to find Carey lying shot in the front yard.
Officers of the Greenville Police Department responded to the scene to render assistance
until medical personnel could take Carey to the hospital. Detectives from the
department’s Criminal Investigation Division were called to the scene to initiate the
official investigation led by Investigator Tammie Hudson. They located shell casings and
received a description of Driver’s vehicle which they circulated around the state. Driver
was located in New Albany and taken into custody by local law enforcement. GPD
investigators traveled to New Albany to take custody of evidence, including the firearm
confiscated from Driver by New Albany police. The firearm and live rounds in the
magazine clip matched the shell casings found at the scene of the shooting.
Upon her arrival to Delta Regional Medical Center, doctors and nurses began emergency
surgeries to save Daneisha and her baby, Dayton. Though he initially survived the
Assistant District
Attorneys
JOHN L. HERZOG, JR.
P. O. Box 426
Greenville, MS 38702
ph: (662) 378-2105
fax: (662) 332-4665
john@msdeltada.com
KAYLON A. MCCOU
P. O. Box 426
Greenville, MS 38702
ph: (662) 378-2105
fax: (662) 332-4665
kaylon@msdeltada.com
M. AUSTIN FRYE
P. O. Box 426
Greenville, MS 38702
ph: (662) 378–2105
fax: (662) 332–4665
Assistant District
Attorneys
TAKIYAH H. PERKINS
P. O. Box 1046
Indianola, MS 38751
ph: (662) 887-4306
fax: (662) 887-6275
tperkins@msdeltada.com
TIMOTHY HUTSON JONES
P. O. Box 253
Greenwood, MS 38935
ph: (662) 453-1089
fax (662) 451-7291
tim@msdeltada.com
AMANDA C. STURNIOLO
P. O. Box 253
Greenwood, MS 38935
ph: (662) 453–1089
fax (662) 451–7291
amanda@msdeltada.com
State of Mississippi
Oce of the District
Attorney
W. Dewayne Richardson
FOURTH CIRCUIT COURT DISTRICT
Le>ore County
Sun>ower County
Washington County
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emergency delivery, Dayton eventually succumbed to the trauma he sustained from theshooting. Fighting for her life, Daneisha coded several times but ultimately survived theshooting with her life. Unfortunately, Driver’s senseless act left her paralyzed from theneck down. Driver was charged with the Murder of Dayton Carey and the AttemptedMurder of Daneisha Carey.Following his guilty plea, he was sentenced by Senior Circuit Court Judge Ashley Hinesto the District Attorney’s recommendation of 40 years to serve in the custody of theMississippi Department of Corrections for Second Degree Murder and 20 years forAttempted Murder. Those sentences will run concurrent—at the same time.Assistant District Attorney Kaylon McCou prosecuted this case. “In just a few seconds,this senseless act took a life—a child from a mother—and left another life changedforever. I think we would all trade the conviction and sentence to see Daneisha and a nowtwo-year-old Dayton taking a walk together hand-in-hand. That chance was taken fromthem and, though nothing we do now can replace such a precious moment, we are proudto have fought for justice on their behalf,” he added.The Office of the District Attorney thanks the Carey family for their patience andcooperation, the New Albany Police Department for their assistance, and the officers andinvestigators of the Greenville Police Department for their unyielding commitment to thiscommunity.