Family and friends remember Whiteville teen

An entire community remembers a Whiteville teenager who was found dead earlier this week. The funeral of Rashed Delamez Jones went on with many questions still unanswered.

Hundreds of family and friends of Jones showed up to pay their last respects to the boy they say died too young. Jacinda Jones has only questions about who killed her cousin. “Today is a sad day because his life was taken so young.” Jacinda and many others feel as though, no justice has come of the loss of 14 year old Rashed Delamez Jones.

The ceremony in the Central Baptist Church in Whiteville drew family and friends who came to honor their loved one. Jones was a student at Whiteville High School and many of his fellow classmates like Keria Stephens say it won’t be the same without him. “I lost a best friend that was like a brother to me, like when stuff goes on he would be there, and he wasn’t the type that would start trouble, he wouldn’t be around trouble, and I don’t know how it leads to him getting killed.”

Jones was found dead Wednesday after a hunter discovered his body in the woods off of Barney Taylor road in Columbus County. Investigators are still trying to determine if his death was the result of possible gang violence. Jones had been missing for almost three weeks, after his grandmother last saw him leaving her house on a bike. Now family and friends are now hoping that someone will come forward.