ST. LOUIS, MO  (Feb. 18, 2025) — A jury found Jeffrey Leslie, 46, guilty of second-degree murder for his role in the death of Alonzo Verzell Jones, 35, on May 6, 2023, in the 1500 block of Destrehan Street in the Hyde Park neighborhood. Leslie was also found guilty of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and attempted robbery.  He is scheduled to be sentenced April 14, 2025. Leslie has prior convictions on drug and weapons charges.

On May 6, 2023, police responded to a call at 1500 Destrehan, where they found Alonzo Jones dead with a gunshot wound to his chest. Police later met with 32-year-old Tommie Edward Latimore III, who told police he had arrived at the Destrehan address with his girlfriend and saw an unfamiliar Jeep Grand Cherokee parked across the street. Latimore told police that Jones got out of the vehicle with a gun and that Jones and an accomplice, Izel Nash, began shooting at Latimore. During the ensuing gun battle Jones was killed. Leslie and Nash then attempted to retrieve Jones’s body. When they realized he was dead, they took his gun and drove away in the Jeep.

The entire incident case was captured on surveillance video.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Circuit Attorneys Adam Field and Andrew Costello.

“By successfully prosecuting violent criminals like Jeffrey Leslie and Izel Nash, we are making our city safer,” said Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore. “We are grateful to the jury for its verdict in this case.”

Leslie’s case number in Casenet is 2322-CR01266-01.

Nash, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2024, to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 18 years in prison. Nash’s case number in Casenet is 2322-CR01267-01.

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