Savannah father killed on his way home, robbed for bonus; Jury finds one guilty, another takes plea deal

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - Two men convicted for their roles in robbing & killing another back man in 2022, will soon learn their fate. After years in the court system, the jury has reached a verdict for one defendant and the other has taken a plea deal.

23-year-old Marquis Porter and 26-year-old Jamonta Jones were originally charged with multiple felonies after Savannah Police say they killed Anterrio Jenks.

The shooting happened in March of 2022 on East 57th Street. Jenks was shot in broad daylight.

Police say Porter and Jones tried to rob Jenks before shooting him.

According to the District Attorney, Jenks was a local longshoreman, had recently received a bonus at work, and planned to purchase a vehicle on the day he was killed.

Mr. Jenks stopped at the Quick Stop on DeLesseps Avenue to purchase candy for his family, where he was seen holding a large amount of cash by Porter’s co-defendant, the DA says.

‘These defendants stalked Mr. Jenks as he walked back through his neighborhood, and an eyewitness testified to seeing a person matching the physical build and clothing of Porter run up behind Mr. Jenks seconds before he heard gunshots and saw Mr. Jenks collapse. Mr. Jenks died on East 57th Street, just a block away from where his children were awaiting his return,’ the DA continued.

Judge Timothy Walmsley presided over the case.

After a trial, the jury found one of the defendants, Porter, guilty on all counts. He will soon be sentenced for convictions of criminal attempt to commit a felony, 2x felony murder, malice murder, and aggravated assault.

Jury members heard from multiple witnesses, and different evidence was presented to them.

Including ring camera videos, crime scene photos, shell casings, video from the Quick Stop, footage from the Econo Lodge, phone records, and that confession letter.

The other defendant, Jones previously confessed in a letter from jail 2 years ago.

In the letter, Jones said he wanted to take sole responsibility for Jenkins’ death. Saying in that letter, “I openly admit that I lied about any other party having dealings with this incident. I was also entrusted to borrow the car on the day of the incident... I’m willing to testify on my behalf to take full responsibility for these charges. These are my consequences to bear and no one else’s... I wrote this letter to clear my conscience.“

Then, Jones pled guilty to a lesser charge in June 2024 to criminal attempt to commit armed robbery.

He has not been sentenced yet because of the testimony he agreed to provide the state with.

That motion, according to court documents, says ‘the defendant has agreed to co-operate with the state against his co-defendant and other culpable parties. The defendant’s role in this crime was limited to that of the driver."

The District Attorney’s Office sent out a statement following the conviction:

Cell phone mapping, as well as commercial and residential camera footage were critical in securing the evidence needed to prove Porter’s involvement in Jenks’ death beyond a reasonable doubt. Porter claimed he was somewhere else at the time of the murder; however, cell phone mapping and employment records of his alleged alibi witness disproved that claim.

DA Shalena Cook Jones

The District Attorney’s office said Jenks’ children were waiting for him back at home.

“Anterro Jenks, a local longshoreman, had recently received a bonus at work and planned to purchase a vehicle on the day he was killed. Mr. Jenks died on East 57th Street, just a block away from where his children were awaiting his return," said DA Jones.

DA Jones also said, “I’d like to congratulate Superior Court Chief Lyle Burnham and the trial team. The entire staff of the Chatham County DA’s Office sends condolences to the Jens family for the loss of their loved one and others who may have been impacted by this senseless crime.”

Sentencing for Porter will be on December 16th at 10:30 a.m. He faces a sentence of life without the possibility of parole plus 30 years.

Jones’ sentencing will be next year, on January 28th at 10 a.m.