by Hunter Dawkins, Owner/Publisher – editor@thegazebogazette.com or hdawkins@supertalk.fm

GULFPORT (GG) — On Friday, May 22, 2026, 17 year-old Javione Martin from Gulfport, pled guilty last week to shooting and killing sixteen-year old Charlie “CJ” Fairley. Martin entered his guilty plea in front of Circuit Court Judge Randi Mueller. At the time of the shooting, Martin was fifteen years old.  

The case began on September 1, 2024, when the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) responded to a shooting in the area of Robindale Road in Gulfport. The County Deputies found the victim lying in the roadway suffering from a gunshot wound to his abdomen.

During the course of the investigation, HCSO learned that the shooting was the result of the victim attempting to get money  back that Martin and another male had stolen from a relative’s automobile the previous day. Martin expressed to the Court that he didn’t want to fight the victim but admitted that he had struck the victim in the head with a gun, and the victim got upset after being struck.

The victim and his friends then followed Martin to get the money from a nearby friend’s house. Martin told the Court that he thought the victim had a weapon and shot him.

Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Patti Simpson, who  prosecuted the case, informed the Court that there was no evidence that the victim (CJ) laid a hand on/assaulted the defendant prior to being shot. The State advised the Court that the male who was breaking into vehicles with Martin actually gave him the weapon that was used in the shooting. 

During the plea hearing, Martin apologized to the family for the pain that he caused. The defendant told the Court that he “accepts the consequences of my actions” after noting to the Court, that nothing he could do would bring “CJ” back.

After accepting the guilty plea, Judge Mueller stated that “a young life was snuffed out that day by a quick decision made.”

Right before handing down the maximum penalty, Judge Mueller told Martin that “you still get to live; you get to have your  life; you are going to have an opportunity to have a life that Mr. Fairley is not going to have.” 

Judge Mueller then sentenced Martin to serve the maximum sentence of 20 years in the custody  of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. 

“Our office concluded the prosecution of the case involving the death of 16-year-old Charlie “CJ” Fairley. The defendant, who was 15 years old at the time of the offense, entered a plea to Manslaughter and received a 20-year sentence in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. This is one of those cases that stays with everyone involved. CJ was everything we  hope our young people will be,” said District Attorney W. Crosby Parker. “He was a good student, a star athlete, and a young man recognized  as a leader among his peers. CJ was named Youth of the Year by his local Boys & Girls Club, an honor that reflected his character, commitment to academic excellence, and the bright future ahead of him. Because of youth gun violence, that future is gone. We did not just lose CJ’s presence.  We lost the man he would have become and the positive impact he would have had on this community for years to come. “

“During today’s hearing, the defendant apologized for his actions, including directly to CJ’s family. While accountability matters, nothing said or done in a courtroom can restore what was taken. One young life has ended, and another has been permanently altered, all because of a gun. This case should force all of us to take a hard look at our engagement with our children. We must be present in their lives. If we know a child is carrying a gun, we cannot ignore it. We must act before another family experiences this kind of loss. I want to thank CJ’s family for the strength, dignity, love, and mercy they showed throughout this process. The District Attorney’s Office remains committed to confronting youth violence and working with our community to prevent tragedies like this from happening again,” said DA Parker.