Trial date to be set for man accused of murdering 3 UVA student-athletes

ALBEMARLE COUNTY, Va. (WVIR) - The man accused of killing three UVA student-athletes and injuring others in a shooting last year is waiving his right to a speedy trial.

Christopher Darnell Jones, Jr. appeared in-person in Albemarle Circuit Court Friday, October 20. He is facing multiple charges, including murder and malicious wounding.

He is currently on the docket for February 5, 2024, which may set a trial date.

Additionally, Attorney General Jason Miyares announced Friday the conclusion of an external review on the events that led to the deaths of Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry, and Lavel Davis Jr. That report has been sent to UVA.

“The report was prepared in response to UVA’s request on Nov. 17, 2022, for an independent review of the events surrounding the tragedy,” UVA Spokesperson Brian Coy said. “The University will share the report publicly, with a goal of doing so by early November.”

This is a developing story.

[Editor’s Note: An earlier version of this article mistakenly said the trial was set for Feb. 5]

10-20-2023 Release from the Office of the Attorney General:

Attorney General Jason Miyares today announced the conclusion of an external review, requested by the University of Virginia and their Board of Visitors, on the events that led to the tragic death of three students and the injuries to two others on November 13, 2022. With today’s conclusion of the external review, the Attorney General has transmitted a report to the University of Virginia.

On November 17, 2022, UVA President and Board of Visitors Rector requested that the Attorney General appoint outside counsel to conduct an independent review of the University’s response to the shooting, the efforts to assess the potential threat the shooter posed, and University safety policies and procedures.

“The deaths of Devin Chandler, D’Sean Perry, and Lavel Davis Jr. are a tremendous tragedy and we continue to remember them, their families, and what they meant to the UVA community,” said Attorney General Miyares. “My office, thanks to the work of the special counsels, has procured a thorough report of last fall’s tragic events, and I am thankful for their deliberate efforts.”

The Office of Attorney General provides legal advice and representation to Virginia’s public institutions of higher education. Attorney-client ethical rules prohibit the Office of the Attorney General from sharing the report with the public.

For this report, Attorney General Miyares appointed national law firm Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan, LLP as special counsel to review the events that led to the tragedy. Miyares also appointed former U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Zachary Terwilliger, to review federal, state, and local law enforcement issues surrounding the incident.

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