A Livermore native and his girlfriend were found guilty of first-degree murder and other charges last week for killing a stranger during a confrontation at a Tracy gas station more than three years ago.
Stockton residents Jeremy Wayne Jones faces a possible base term of 27 years to life in state prison while Christina Lyn Garner is looking at 50 years to life related to the murder of Justin Peoples when they’re sentenced in San Joaquin County Superior Court next month, prosecutors said.
“These verdicts hold the defendants accountable for their brutal actions and reaffirm our commitment to justice,” San Joaquin County District Attorney Ron Freitas said in a news release. “We thank the jury for their service and commend Deputy District Attorney Janet Smith for her outstanding dedication in seeking justice for Mr. Peoples and his loved ones.”
Jones, 53, attended Livermore High School growing up and listed Livermore as his hometown, although he had relocated to Stockton, according to his Facebook page that was active at the time of his arrest in 2022. He and Garner pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
During the joint trial this fall, prosecutors laid out the circumstances of the violent attack. Authorities told the jurors that 30-year-old Peoples had stopped at the gas station just to get change and brushed past Garner, leading to a confrontation where Jones stabbed Peoples multiple times and Garner shot him in the head.
The jury returned guilty verdicts on Oct. 14 – first-degree murder for both defendants, using a knife in the commission of a murder for Jones, and use of a firearm and gun possession by a felon for Garner, according to the DA’s office.
The sentencing hearing is scheduled for Nov. 17 at 9:30 a.m. in Department 8D before San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Charlotte J. Orcutt.
“Garner faces a potential sentence of 50 to life in prison, plus an additional term for being a felon in possession of a firearm,” prosecutors said. “Jones faces a potential sentence of 27 to life, plus extra time for being armed during the offense.”
