An Augusta felon was arrested Sunday in last week’s home invasion and murder of a man on Bleakley Street.
Anthony Orlando Jones, 33, had reportedly been told that victim Charles Irvin was abusing Jones’ aunt, Pamela Freeman. So he put on a partial mask, kicked in the door of the home that Irvin shared with Freeman – Irvin’s girlfriend – and shot him, authorities said. Jones is a felon, convicted in Richmond County of a 2008 burglary.
The killing happened in the middle of the night at the small home, which had bars on the windows and multiple “no trespassing” signs. Authorities say Jones kicked in the front door around 1:22 a.m. Nov. 11, and fired a shot into the ceiling to get Irvin’s attention. Irvin tried to jump out a back window, but Jones fired another guns hot from a black revolver, striking the homeowner.
The victim stumbled across the street to a relative’s home and made a dying declaration, telling his aunt that his girlfriend’s nephew had shot him. Irvin died later at an Augusta hospital. He was 50 years old.
Richmond County investigators put out a flyer last week, seeking Freeman for questioning. When they located her, she told authorities that she had met with her nephew earlier, where he was told that Irvin had abused her. She was later released, and warrants were taken out for Jones.
On Sunday, Jones was booked on charges of murder, home invasion, kidnapping, battery, weapon possession, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and a hold for probation and parole officials.
For his part, the victim has been repeatedly arrested for domestic violence, with at least two convictions. Irvin was last charged with family violence in 2015 and pleaded guilty, leading to probation and community service.
The victim’s family say Freeman had been dating Irvin for years. His sister Joyce Monfort remembered him online as a local barber who had quite a few customers and was loved.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with the funeral, and they plan to seek assistance from the crime victims’ fund as well.
