GUILTY: Newmones found guilty in Belhaven murder, will serve life in prison without parole

Published 10:50 am Thursday, September 22, 2022

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Jayquan Lamar Newmones was found guilty of first degree murder, robbery with a dangerous weapon and felony larceny in connection to the death of Timothy Bernard Moore on December 24, 2017 in Belhaven. He will serve life in prison without parole. 

A 12-person jury made the decision on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022 at the Beaufort County Courthouse in Washington. 

Newmones provided testimony on Tuesday, Sept. 20 when he said he fatally shot Moore 13 times in self-defense because he was fearful of being raped. 

Jayquwan Lamar Newmones

In closing arguments on Wednesday, Assistant District Attorney Tom Anglim argued Newmones’ real motive for killing Moore was money. Anglim said Newmones didn’t have money, but Moore did. He said Newmones planned to have Moore drive them to Beech Ridge Road in Belhaven where the murder took place. Newmones, according to Aglim, planned to rob and kill Moore. 

After shooting Moore, Newmones drove Moore’s rental car and attempted to use his bank card, according to prosecutors. 

Anglim argued against Newmones’ claim of self-defense given Moore was shot in the back, first then shot around his body as Newmones circled him. Given how Moore’s pants appeared to have been forcefully pulled down and were inside out, Anglim said it went against Newmones’ claim of rape. Newmones, Anglim said, pulled Moore’s pants down after he was dead in search of money. 

Anglim argued once Moore and Newmones were on Beech Ridge Road, they smoked marijuana and drank beers. When Moore exited the car to use the restroom, Newmones waited for a moment then got out of the car and began shooting Moore. 

Anglim presented song lyrics to the jury Newmones wrote prior to December 2017 that described a murder where a small calliber handgun was used and the shooter fled the state. Newmones fled North Carolina attempting to elude arrest in Augusta, Georgia. He was arrested there on Feb. 15, 2018. 

When Newmones provided testimony, he encouraged jury members to search for his songs on iTunes. 

The verdict came the day before what would have been Moore’s 32nd birthday. Moore and his mother Kathy, shared a birthday. She and her husband, Lane, were present at the trial on Wednesday along with other family members and friends who were there in support.

Kathy told the Daily News the eight days of trial have been “rough” and at times “rougher” than when the murder took place nearly five years ago, because it’s as if the events are taking place all over again and she is reliving losing her son. 

She said her son, affectionately known as Bubba, was a “good boy” who helped her often. She described him as being fun, silly, outgoing and energetic.