Commonwealth v. Jaquan Marion Brayboy; 27-Year Sentence for Murder during Marijuana Transaction

Virginia Beach, Va. – Colin D. Stolle, Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Virginia Beach, announced that Jaquan Marion Brayboy, age 25, formerly of the 1300 block of Skyhawk Circle in Virginia Beach, Virginia, was sentenced on charges of Second Degree Murder, Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Felony, and Possession of Firearm by Convicted Felon.  Circuit Court Judge Scott Flax sentenced Brayboy to 48 years in prison with 21 years suspended, leaving 27 years to serve. This sentence was above the high end of the recommendation of the Virginia State Sentencing Guidelines. 

Brayboy pled guilty on September 3, 2025.  Had this matter gone to trial, the Commonwealth’s evidence would have proven that on January 23, 2023, 21-year-old Kyree Blackledge went to Skyhawk Circle in Virginia Beach to meet Jaquan Brayboy for a marijuana transaction. A female friend of Blackledge drove him to the location.  Brayboy approached the passenger side of the vehicle and exchanged words with Blackledge. They determined that Brayboy would send payment for the marijuana using CashApp, but the transaction was not completed. Words between Brayboy and Blackledge became heated, and Brayboy fired two gunshots.  The female driver saw Blackledge’s head fall and blood come from his mouth.  She panicked and drove away as fast as possible, hitting a parked truck and leaving damage to her car. 

The female driver called for a ride to pick her up from a nearby shopping center, leaving Blackledge’s deceased body in the car. One of the driver’s friends took her back to the car and told her to get all of the drugs, the driver’s own cell phone, and the victim’s cell phone.  The friend threw the driver’s car keys out of the window onto Interstate-64 on the way to Hampton.  She then told the driver not to tell anyone about her involvement in the incident.  When this driver was initially interviewed by police, she told them she hitchhiked back to Hampton.

Once she returned to Hampton, the driver told Blackledge’s roommates and friends what occurred but could not provide a location for the murder scene or the vehicle containing Blackledge’s body.  The roommates contacted Hampton police who then contacted Virginia Beach police.  A GPS tracker used earlier by the driver led police to a general area.  Police and family members of Blackledge separately searched the area.  Blackledge’s family found the car with Blackledge’s body inside it.

Investigators later found messages between Brayboy and Blackledge discussing drug transactions.  Brayboy provided Blackledge the address of “1321 Skyhawk Circle” and Blackledge messaged back at 11:11 p.m. that he was on the way.  Investigators also viewed several surveillance videos from the apartment complex where this occurred, as well as private citizen doorbell cameras. Brayboy was seen on the video running then getting into an SUV and fleeing at a high rate of speed.  The clothing he was wearing in the video is the same clothing that investigators saw him wearing in surveillance video from a 7-Eleven store earlier that night. This clothing was later found during a search of Brayboy’s girlfriend’s residence.

Brayboy was arrested in Broward County, Florida, on February 23, 2023. Virginia Beach detectives interviewed him on February 27, 2023, and he confessed to shooting the victim.  He confirmed that it was a marijuana deal but he and Blackledge got into a hostile disagreement about money.  Once the conversation became hostile, Brayboy claimed that Blackledge produced a weapon, so Brayboy shot him.  No weapon was ever recovered from the scene, nor the car with Blackledge’s body, and the female driver never stated that she saw Blackledge with a weapon.

Brayboy has prior convictions for Robbery and Brandishing a Firearm.

Deputy Commonwealth’s Attorney Wendy Alexander and Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Nickie L. Herron prosecuted this case. Please contact Macie Allen if additional information is desired.