Gulfport teen sentenced to 20 years in prison for killing classmate in 2024

A 17-year-old Gulfport boy was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in the shooting death of a Gulfport teen last year, according to court records.

Javione Martin, who was 15 at the time, entered the guilty plea last week in Harrison County circuit court, prosecutors said. The victim, Charlie “CJ” Fairley, was a 16-year-old student-athlete at Harrison Central High School. Law enforcement officials responded to the shooting on Robindale Road on Sept. 1, 2024, where they found Fairley lying in the roadway with a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Investigators determined the shooting occurred following an incident the previous day, in which Martin and another male allegedly stole money from a relative’s vehicle. Fairley was attempting to recover the stolen money when he was shot, according to court statements. Martin told the court he did not want to fight Fairley but admitted he struck him in the head with a gun, which upset the victim. The two then followed Martin to a nearby house, where they believed the money was located.

Prosecutors said Martin believed Fairley had a weapon before firing the shot. Assistant District Attorney Patti Simpson said there was no evidence Fairley physically assaulted Martin before the shooting. They also stated that the other male involved provided Martin with the gun used in the incident.

During the hearing, Martin apologized to Fairley’s family and said he accepted responsibility for his actions. Judge Randi Mueller called Fairley’s death a tragedy caused by a

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