She was a lot more than just a 22-year-old or a mother of four. If you’ve ever followed the rise and fall of Javaris Crittenton, or even caught wind of the case through headlines, chances are the name Julia Jones has come up. Still, to serve as a reminder: it was robbery that Crittenton wanted to avenge. But rather than approaching the legal procedure, he decided to take things into his own hands. The bullet that he aimed at one of the alleged robbers hit Jones and claimed her life. While most fans would know what followed with Javaris—23 years in prison that was later reduced to 10 years—not many ever came to know exactly who Julia Jones was.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in the late 1980s, Julia was the daughter of Mae Lois Jones, as reported by an article by Moviedelic. But she didn’t grow up with her biological mother. The article further reported, she was adopted by June Woods and Virgil Pinkney, who raised her with love and care.

As per the Moviedelic article, she got engaged to Ha’Rel Butler Sr. in her early adult years. As mentioned earlier, she was a mother of four. According to public reports, she likely became a mother in her early teens. And there’s no record of her continuing education beyond high school. That in itself tells a story—one of responsibility taken on too young.

She didn’t have a documented profession, but people closest to her say she poured her energy into her home and family. Her adoptive mother described her as “kind, caring, and affectionate” and said she found joy in cooking for others. That one detail paints a full picture, doesn’t it? A woman who may not have had a title, but certainly had purpose.

So, to answer the question: Who was Julia Jones? A woman who lived just 22 years of her life. But more than her age or her status as mother of four, she was her own being. Someone who would never know what more she could have been in this world. And there is no bitter truth than the fact that the world will never know how she could have impacted it. A regret that Javaris Crittenton himself claimed he has to live with his whole life.

“Is it hard for you to say the name Julia Jones?’ That’s the exact question that Javaris Crittenton was asked. He certainly finds it tough to hear, but it was in his prayers, HC claimed on Untold: Shooting Guards. “There was a couple of times that I really just googled a picture of her and just stared at it. I wish that something could have been done differently. I wish that I can go back into the hands of time and change it. It’s just the reality of what is. Sometimes you gotta be reminded of… the pain you inflicted on others…”

From his appearance on the Netflix documentary, it’s clear that the former NBA star lives in regret. But the fact remains: we will never have the lost life back.

How did a bullet that hit Julia Jones in the leg claim her life?

It all began back in April 2011, when Javaris Crittenton believed he had been robbed. According to Fox News, he told his friends and associates that he had lost jewelry and other valuables in the incident. Law enforcement later reported that Crittenton pointed fingers at a local gang, suspecting they were behind the theft. Instead of letting the authorities handle it, he allegedly decided to take matters into his own hands.

Fast forward to the night of August 19, 2011—Crittenton was riding through southwest Atlanta in a black Chevrolet Tahoe, as ESPN noted. He had a pistol with him and, according to Fox Sports, spotted a group of people gathered outside a house on Macon Drive. Thinking that one of the men in that group was tied to the robbery, Crittenton allegedly started shooting from the car.

But the bullet didn’t hit who he thought it would. Instead, it struck Julia Jones, who was just walking outside with some friends. Though she was only shot in the leg, the bullet hit her femoral artery, and the injury proved fatal.