Jaion Barnes, 25, was convicted on February 5, 2026, of second-degree murder, felony firearm, weapons possession by a felon, and domestic violence in the January 15, 2024, killing of 23-year-old Tianna Ross during a child custody exchange at Peachtree Apartments in Clinton Township, Michigan.
Incident Overview
Ross arrived to drop off their 2-year-old son, carrying him in a car seat with diapers and milk, amid arguments over logistics and her rushing to cosmetology class. Barnes shot her once in the stomach and twice in the face in the lobby around 4:30 p.m., fleeing afterward while his brother heard shots, found her body, retrieved the bloodied car seat, and called 911.
Prosecution Arguments
Days earlier, Barnes texted promising not to “put my hands on you again” after prior abuse, but prosecutors highlighted the deliberate shots as “execution style,” rejecting claims of an accidental struggle given Ross’s 118-pound frame and his jealousy over her moving on. No witnesses saw the act, but evidence included his post-shooting call to his mother (claiming a struggle) and history of violence that terrified Ross.
Sentencing Ahead
As a fourth habitual offender, Barnes faces a mandatory 25-year minimum up to life; sentencing is March 26. Macomb Prosecutor Peter Lucido emphasized accountability for leaving the child parentless in this “senseless act.” A GoFundMe honors Ross as vibrant and kind-hearted.
