Actions and Accountability, Choices and Consequences: The Capital Murder of My Cousin, Avis Terrell Jones

August 22, 2021, that was the last time I saw my cousin Avis Terrell Jones. He was showing me around a house he was fixing up for his mother. It was about two months before his life was tragically taken. I had gone to visit his father, my great uncle, who is now my grandmother’s last remaining sibling. Avis was excited about the renovations as he had moved back to Mississippi to help care for his mother and give her a new place to live out her days. 

But he never got to finish that house, and his mother never got the chance to live there. She wasn’t well, and that’s why Avis came back—to help her, to be there for his family. Tragically, she passed away not long after her son was murdered. My grandmother and her brother, Uncle Ray, have endured so much loss. They’ve lost their parents, all of their 30+ siblings, cousins, friends, and even nieces and nephews. But none of these losses have been as violent or as senseless as the murder of Avis. This isn’t just a story about a crime; it’s a story about the devastating impact of choices and the need for accountability in the face of unthinkable actions.

Choices

Every single day, we are faced with choices that shape not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us. On October 31, 2021, James Earle Dortsch, Jr., who was 26, made a choice that would forever change the lives of many. In the parking lot of a Dollar General in Taska, Mississippi, Dortsch chose to steal a car. Not just any car, but the car belonging to my cousin, Avis Terrell Jones. Avis was 58 years old, and that day, he was going about his routine, leaving his sister and mother to buy laundry detergent. He was unaware that a choice by Dortsch would lead to his tragic death.

I watch murder mystery shows all the time. I felt like I knew what it was like to be in courtroom sat in the courtroom, what is was like to watch witnesses give testimony, to see evidence, and to see the jury leave for deliberation and return with a verdict. I just never imagined that I would experience it firsthand and for someone I loved and had just laughed with. That everything would be so sad and so hard to see and that even the death penalty had been on the table.

During the trial, I sat with Avis’s sisters, his children, and more family and friends who loved him and wanted justice for him. We watched in horror as the store’s surveillance footage played, showing the chilling moments leading up to and during the murder. Witnesses took the stand, recounting their encounters with Dortsch on the day of the incident. They described seeing him wielding the gun and knew about his history of troubling behavior that had gone unchecked for too long. The evidence was undeniable: Dortsch had made a conscious decision to turn a simple theft into a deadly confrontation.

Throughout the trial, Dortsch sat with a nonchalant expression as if he was unaware of or just didn’t care about the magnitude of what he had done and what he was facing. He even looked us in our faces without giving an ounce of compassion. Aside from his legal team, his parents and one other person were the only ones there to support him, a stark contrast to the many family members who were in the courtroom in support of Avis. 

My cousin, Avis’s sister, bravely took the stand. Another one his sisters spoke at sentencing after the jury quickly found him guilty of capital murder after the three-day trial that had taken three years to happen. His adult children had flown in from California and Texas including a son that is the spitting image of him. His very pregnant daughter drove in from Arkansas with her family. We all watched in sadness but relief that justice was finally being served. Another cousin, Avis’s niece, spoke directly to Dortsch before the sentencing, addressing him with a calm strength that only God and the three years had given her. She started, “Choices and accountability…”, reminding Dortsch that the choices he had made led him to this point, and now he had to face the consequences. As she spoke, Dortsch looked away, his demeanor unchanged, as if the weight of his actions hadn’t fully sunk in and maybe never would. My cousin said our family would be praying for his family and even for his soul but asked the judge to impose the maximum sentence– not out of vengeance, but to underscore the importance of accountability.

Consequences

Choices always have consequences, some of which we can predict, and others that go far beyond our understanding. For James Dortsch, the immediate consequence of his choice was a life sentence in prison without the possibility of parole. At only 29 years old, he is now condemned to spend the rest of his life behind bars, facing the reality of his actions every single day.

But the consequences didn’t end with Dortsch. The real victims of his choice extend far beyond himself. Avis Terrell Jones was more than just a name; he was a father of eight children, a son, a brother, an uncle, and a beloved member of our family. His death left a void that can never be filled. One of his youngest children, who was just 8 years old at the time of the incident three years ago, spoke before Dortsch’s sentencing. He shared how he wished his dad could be there to watch him play football—a simple, yet profound desire that reflects the deep void left in their lives.

The consequences of Dortsch’s actions continue to ripple through our lives. Avis’s children now face a future without their father, their children without their grandfather…including two grandchildren coming this year. My great uncle, his father, must now bear the unbearable grief of outliving his child as well as his wife who had to bury her son in her own declining state. Our entire community feels the weight of this loss, a loss that stems from a senseless act of violence.

Actions

James Dortsch’s actions were not the result of a single moment of weakness or desperation but were part of a pattern of poor choices. Just ten days before the murder of my cousin, Dortsch had stolen another car, demonstrating a disregard for the law and for the rights of others. On that fateful day at the Dollar General store, he chose to escalate his criminal behavior. He approached my cousin with the intent to steal and then he chose to pull the trigger. Dortsch’s actions reflect a dangerous mindset—one that sees violence as an acceptable means to an end, and theft as a viable path. By choosing to flee in Avis’s car and quickly crashing it. He was picked up by officers as he walked down the street acting as if nothing had happened.

Accountability

Accountability means more than just serving a sentence; it means recognizing the full impact of one’s actions and taking steps to make amends, where possible. For James Dortsch, accountability involves facing the reality of his crime and understanding the deep pain he has caused. He will spend the rest of his life in prison, but that is only a part of his accountability. The true weight of his actions lies in the lives he has shattered and the family he has torn apart.

For those of us left in the wake of this tragedy, accountability means taking action to prevent future violence. It means investing in our youth and providing them with the tools they need to make better choices. It means holding ourselves and our communities accountable for creating environments where young people can learn, grow, and make positive decisions.

A Call to Action

The murder of my cousin, Avis Terrell Jones, is a painful reminder of the impact of our choices and the importance of accountability. We must work together to ensure that no other family has to endure the pain we have felt. The violence committed by so many young people is sad and terrifying. I’m grateful that the Memphis Shelby County School district, as part of the Youth Non-violence Initiative, saw the value in using the program I created to help youth learn social and emotional skills, build literacy skills, build empathy, deal with trauma, and see hope for their future despite their current circumstances. It teaches them that every action has a consequence, every decision impacts others, and every choice they make matters. Through education and mentorship, we can help prevent violence by teaching our children to value life and make better decisions.

Let us honor Avis’s memory by committing to a path of love and understanding, by making choices that build up rather than tear down, and by holding ourselves accountable to create a safer, more compassionate world. Together, we can make a difference. Together, we can turn the tide on senseless violence and build a future where every choice leads to life and love, rather than loss and regret.