Third Co-Defendant Convicted of Murder
DA Charme Allen announces that prosecutors in the Career Gang Unit obtained convictions against the third co-defendant in a robbery that left a Johnson City man dead. Na’kelin Cornelius McAfee, 22, was convicted of First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, Especially Aggravated Robbery, and Employing a Firearm during the Commission of a Dangerous Felony. Judge Scott Green sentenced McAfee to life in prison. Javari James Jackson-Allen, 21, and Iran Lyons, 20, were previously convicted of First Degree Murder and additional charges in separate trials. Each was sentenced to life in prison.
In a six-day trial, Assistant District Attorneys TaKisha Fitzgerald and Larry Dillon explained to the jury that on February 14, 2023, Knoxville Police Department officers responded to a 911 call about a shooting in a parking lot in Lonsdale Homes. During the investigation, Det. Tim Riddle learned that the victim traveled to Lonsdale Homes to meet an individual. While waiting in the parking lot, McAfee, Jackson-Allen, and Lyons approached the victim’s vehicle in order to rob him. During the course of the robbery, the victim was shot multiple times and died at the scene. Each of the three defendants were later tied to the murder through witness testimony, cell phone data, and forensic evidence.
“While it can often take years to get to a verdict, my office works every day to hold offenders accountable and to achieve justice for crime victims,” said DA Allen.
Under Tennessee law, life in prison means that a defendant must serve fifty-one years in prison before they are eligible to meet with the Parole Board. Assistant Victim Witness Coordinator Sheri Burkett and Legal Secretary Cathleen Wilson aided in the prosecution of this case.
If you have any questions, please contact Sean McDermott at 865-215-2515 or Sean.McDermott@knoxcounty.org. For more information about the District Attorney’s Office, visit our website at dag.knoxcountytn.gov and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.