St. Francis man sentenced to almost 25 years in prison for 2022 murder of man

By KSTP

Jacob Jon Lewis (Hennepin County Jail)

A St. Francis man learned his punishment Thursday morning for his role in the death of a man last year.

Jacob Jon Lewis, 20, was sentenced by Judge Daniel Moreno to nearly 25 years (297 months) at the St. Cloud Correctional Facility for the killing of 34-year-old Heywood Jones, according to court records.

Lewis was initially charged with one count of second-degree murder, which he pleaded guilty to on May 8 in exchange for the almost 25-year sentence, a downward durational departure from the sentencing guidelines.

On Oct. 6, 2022, officers from Minneapolis were called to 2008 30th Ave. North on a report of a shooting.

Court records show officers found several “hysterical” people screaming and yelling upon arrival. A man, later identified as Jones, was laying on the ground with several gunshot wounds to the back. Jones later died in the hospital, officials say.

Witnesses at the scene said they saw Jones approach Lewis in his car to talk. A fight followed the conversation and Lewis shot Jones from inside his car, witnesses said.

After firing the first shot, Lewis got out of his car and shot Jones in the back before driving away, according to a criminal complaint.