Battle Creek Man Charged In A Fatal Double Shooting

A Battle Creek man already jailed for attempted murder has now been charged in the death of a Kalamazoo college student.

A Battle Creek man already in jail on an attempted murder charge has now been charged in the shooting death of Kalamazoo Valley Community College student Rachel Curl. Ja’Shaun Markee Jones, a 20-year-old from Battle Creek, had an amended charge of open murder added earlier this week in Kalamazoo County District Court, according to MLive.

Jones is alleged to have shot 20-year-old Rachel Curl at the Hidden Hills apartment complex, in the 4200 block of Hidden Hills Drive not far from the campus of Western Michigan University, on October 17. Curl was a native of Benton Harbor. Curl died later that morning at Bronson Methodist Hospital.

The suspect had already been charged with assault with intent to murder 19-year-old Mattalis Buchanan Jr. that same night at the apartment complex. Jones now faces eight felony counts in the case including open murder, assault with intent to murder, two counts of discharging a firearm in or at a building causing injury, and four weapons felony firearms charges.

Jones' next court appearance is scheduled for January 14, 2021, at Kalamazoo County District Court for a preliminary hearing. He was previously being in police custody held with a cash or surety of bond of $100,000 for the original charges. His bond has since been increased to $1,000,000 for the additional charges.