Akron man pleads guilty in 2022 Highland Square shooting death of teenager

An Akron man avoided a trial just hours before he was set to face a jury Monday when he pleaded guilty to multiple charges in the 2022 shooting death of a 16-year-old boy and two other unrelated cases.

Daryeus Jones, 20, pleaded guilty in Summit County Common Pleas Court to conspiracy to commit aggravated murder, which was amended from aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, felonious assault and two firearm specifications, which could include additional jail time.

He also pleaded guilty in other cases to improperly handling a firearm in a motor vehicle and carrying a concealed weapon.

Shooting: Boy, 16, shot dead on residential side street in Akron's Highland Square on Saturday afternoon

Summit County Common Pleas Judge Susan Baker Ross will sentence Jones at 10 a.m. on Aug. 30.

Jones is represented by attorneys Jacob Will, Jeff Laybourne and Marie DiCola.

Second person who pleaded guilty in murder case

Domonic Herring previously pleaded guilty in 2023 and was sentenced to 14 to 16½ years in prison last October.

Herring pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery, robbery and gun specifications. He also pleaded guilty to felonious assault and two weapons charges in unrelated cases.

Jones and Herring were arrested in the shooting death of 16-year-old Jamarian Coffey .

Akron police said Coffey was shot multiple times during an Oct. 22 confrontation on Dodge Avenue in Akron's Highland Square neighborhood.

Bryce Buyakie covers courts and public safety for the Beacon Journal. He can be reached by email at bbuyakie@gannett.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @bryce_buyakie.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron man pleads guilty in 2022 Highland Square shooting death of teenager