Judge hands down sentence in shooting which killed three Virginia football players

A judge has sentenced Christopher Jones Jr. to five consecutive life sentences as a result of a 2022 shooting at the University of Virginia, according to CVille Right Now. Three Virginia football players were killed in the shooting, which wounded one other player and another student.

UVA players Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis and D’Sean Perry were killed in the shooting, which took place on the Charlottesville campus after a field trip to Washington, D.C. Running back Mike Hollins was injured, as was Virginia student Marlee Morgan.

In November 2024, Jones pled guilty to three counts of first degree murder, two counts of aggravated malicious wounding and five counts of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, according to CVille Right Now. The plea reduced the charges from aggravated first degree murder. Judge Cheryl Higgins of the Albemarle County Circuit Court handed down the sentencing Friday.

Jones spoke to the families and the judge for 15 minutes after closing arguments. He apologized for causing “so much pain” in a tearful message.

“I didn’t know your sons,” Jones told the room, via CVille Right Now. “I didn’t know your boys. And I wish I did.”

After the sentencing hearing, Hollins – who’s now a graduate assistant under Tony Elliott at UVA – spoke with reporters. He underwent multiple surgeries after the shooting and eventually returned to the field for the Cavaliers before turning his attention to coaching following graduation.

“Knowing that he has been given a time and justice has been served, for the most part, even though no amount of time on this earth in jail will repay or get those lives back, just a little bit of peace knowing that the man that committed those crimes won’t be hurting anyone else,” Hollins told reporters, via WTVR-TV.

UVA drama professor Teresa Davis, who was on the trip, testified Thursday after being called by the defense. She recalled the events of that night and remembered the three students who were killed in the shooting.

“My heart aches every day for D’Sean, Lavel, Devin and the families. Chris had never presented like that,” Davis said. “It was unrecognizable to me, that level of evil in that moment.”