Police confirm the shooting of Adam Tyler Jones may have been tied to drugs, as a man charged as an accessory to the death was in court for a bail hearing.
Jones, 25, was shot and killed in a Belmont Avenue West parking lot on Sept. 6 in what police have called a targeted attack.
On Monday, police confirmed what some who knew the victim had suspected around the time of the shooting, that it was tied to drugs.
Waterloo Regional Police Staff-Sgt. Chris Downey says “We’re still sorting out a good portion of it but we believe that this incident actually centered around a potential drug transaction.”
Very little additional information has been released on the investigation, but detectives say they are making progress.
“It’s moved along at a pace we anticipated it would. There’s been no surprises as far as time goes and we’ve developed some people of interest,” Downey adds.
Jerome Phillips, 20, of Kitchener, was arrested two weeks ago and charged with being an accessory after the fact to the murder.
The defence is asking the court to release Phillips on bail, while the Crown wants him to remain behind bars.
Crown attorney Bill Wilson says “Actually, it’s interesting, on an attempt murder or a murder it would be up to the defence, in this case its Crown onus.”
A publication ban prevents the release of the facts and evidence presented at the bail hearing, but the judge is expected to make a decision on Tuesday.
