Roy C. Akins III, a 22-year-old man from Gary, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for shooting another man in the leg inside a gas station during a fight that turned violent. The altercation, which began as a dispute among friends on August 22, 2020, escalated into a deadly shooting.
Akins, who was 17 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, in March as part of a plea agreement. He faced a maximum sentence of 16 years. This marked the conclusion of legal proceedings for the individuals involved in the case.
The victim, Rayvon Harris, 29, sustained a gunshot wound to the leg during the altercation. Akins admitted to firing the shot that injured Harris. Courtney Moss, identified as the triggerman, received a 65-year prison sentence in July 2022. Another co-defendant, Myles S. Thomas, received a 10-year sentence in August 2022 for pleading guilty to aggravated battery. Additionally, Willie Jones, Jr., who initiated the physical altercation by punching Harris, was sentenced to four years in September 2022.
Roy C. Akins III (Credits: NWI Times)
Alexis Miller, who provided assistance to Jones and his associates, pleaded guilty to aiding a criminal and received one year of probation in March 2023. The incident took place at a gas station in Gary, where Harris was found shot dead, still clutching money in his hand. Police recovered cash, marijuana, and a scale from the scene.
The altercation began when Harris and Thomas appeared to be on the verge of a confrontation, leading Jones to intervene and initiate the physical altercation. Jones claimed he joined the fight after hearing Harris use disrespectful language towards Moss and others. In the course of the altercation, Jones was also shot in the leg. Deputy Prosecutor Jovanni Miramontes handled the case, with defense attorney Michael Woods representing Akins before Judge Salvador Vasquez.
