Jamarius Dionte Pennyman, known affectionately to his loved ones as “JP,” was a young Black man from Atlanta, Georgia, whose life was deeply rooted in family. He was a father to two sons, Jamarius Jr. and Navadius, and a cherished son to his mother, Latissa L. Lewis, and his father, Eurea Pennyman. Jamarius was part of a large, loving family that included his brothers, Jaquantay, Euron, and Joshua, and his sisters, Jacahra, Cedriona, Cedria, Eurika, and Jayla. His grandmothers, Brenda Lewis and Cassandra Reid, and great-grandmothers, Rosa Burson and Vederia Clark, were also central figures in his life. Those who knew him remembered his sweet, calm, and cool nature. His aunt recalled years later, "You were always such a sweetie pie, calm and cool!" a sentiment that captured the gentle spirit he was known for.
In the early morning hours of Monday, June 23, 2014, Jamarius’s life was brought to a violent and sudden end. Just after midnight, he was standing with a group of people in the courtyard of the Providence at Cascade apartment complex on Fairburn Road in southwest Atlanta. An unknown gunman approached the group, singled out Jamarius, and opened fire. When Atlanta Police Department officers arrived at the scene around 12:15 a.m., they found Jamarius deceased from his injuries. Police officials stated that they did not believe anyone else in the group was involved in the incident.
The investigation into the homicide was handled by Atlanta police. Detectives worked the case for more than two months before identifying a primary suspect. Based on their findings, they secured a warrant for the arrest of 20-year-old Steven Blunt. On Tuesday, September 9, 2014, Blunt surrendered to authorities at the city’s Underground Precinct. He was taken into custody and transported to the Fulton County Jail. Blunt was charged with two counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault with intent to murder in connection with Jamarius Pennyman's death.
Following the arrest, the path to justice for Jamarius’s family became long and ultimately unresolved. The specific details and progression of the legal case against Steven Blunt in the years following his 2014 arrest are not publicly available. Before the case could reach a trial or conclusion, the pursuit of justice took a dramatic and final turn. In an entirely separate incident on March 29, 2023, Steven Blunt, then 29 years old, was shot and killed by Douglas County sheriff's deputies. The deputies were responding to a report of a man with a gun at a Special Olympics event at New Manchester High School. They later encountered Blunt at a nearby home, where he allegedly pulled out a handgun and fired at them. A deputy returned fire, fatally wounding him.
Jamarius Pennyman’s family and friends mourned their profound loss. His Celebration of Life service was held on Saturday, June 28, 2014, at the Murray Brothers Cascade Chapel, and he was laid to rest at South View Cemetery. In the years since his death, his family has kept his memory alive through heartfelt online messages. One tribute reads, "Jamarius this is the light that will always shine in my heart for you. Its like a dream that I can't wake up from. Gone from this earth but never forgotten in spirit." Another from his aunt stated, "You will always be in my spirit and I will always remember my last hug that you gave me."
As of March 2023, the criminal case concerning the murder of Jamarius Pennyman is effectively closed. With the death of the only identified suspect, there can be no trial or conviction for his killing. The questions surrounding the night he died remain, and his family has been left without the full measure of justice that a court proceeding might have provided. The case stands as a painful reminder of a life cut short and a legal conclusion that will never be reached.
