Prairie State Wire

Chicago – Attorney General Kwame Raoul today announced his office obtained a 40-year prison sentence in its prosecution of a third individual involved in the shooting deaths of two Vermilion County teenagers. Jaevin Griggs, 19, of Danville, Illinois, is the third of four individuals to be sentenced in the murders, which resulted from a drug sale and robbery. 

Vermilion County Circuit Court Judge Derek Girton sentenced Griggs on Wednesday to 40 years in prison after he was found guilty in May of first-degree murder in the deaths of Wyatt Bailey, 19, from Oakwood, Illinois, and Clayvonte Sloan, 16, from Danville, Illinois. 

“It is my hope this sentence will provide some sense of closure to the many families who were impacted by this senseless act of violence,” Raoul said. “I will continue to partner with local state’s attorneys and law enforcement agencies to protect residents from violent crimes and hold those who commit them accountable.” 

Dustin Cooper, 17, of Danville, was found guilty of murder in July 2022 and sentenced to 40 years in prison. In November 2022, Camarion Halthon, 19, of Danville, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

According to Raoul, Griggs and Cooper, who were both armed with handguns, along with Halthon, Sloan, and a fifth teen, Ali Bryant, drove to Bailey’s home in January 2021 to allegedly purchase marijuana and cannabis-related products. Once there, they attacked and attempted to rob Bailey, who was also armed with a handgun. During the attack, Bailey's gun fired and hit Sloan, who later died. Griggs and Cooper then fired their weapons, hitting Bailey in both legs and knocking him to the ground. Before fleeing the scene with Bailey's products and handgun, Cooper shot Bailey in the chest as he lay on the ground. 

A Vermilion County Sheriff’s deputy responding to the shooting located and stopped Cooper’s vehicle as it drove toward Danville. Upon searching the vehicle, investigators found a bag of cannabis products and a gun stolen from Bailey. They also found an unregistered ghost gun that was used in the shooting. Both Bailey and Sloan died from their gunshot wounds.   

The case was co-prosecuted by Vermilion County State’s Attorney Jacqueline Lacy’s office.  

“I’d like to thank the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Department and the Illinois Attorney General’s office for their efforts in this case,” Lacy said. “The State’s Attorney’s office will continue to request that violent juvenile offenders be transferred to adult court, when permitted by law, to face appropriate penalties for violent criminal acts.”

The fourth defendant, Ali Bryant, 20, of Danville, Illinois, is charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery. Bryant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

Deputy Bureau Chief Jonathan McKay and Supervising Attorney Daniel Weiler prosecuted the case for Raoul’s Criminal Prosecutions Bureau.  

Original source can be found here.