Select by gender or name

Murder of Amiya Paige

According to York Daily Record, on December 30th, 2022, 19-year-old Alajah Elizabeth Holmes got into it with her half-sister Jessazhia Mayes, on Facebook. It is unclear what the two were squabbling about, but they eventually agreed to meet in person and fight.

Holmes was not playing games and asked for Mayes’ locations at least 20 times that night.

Holmes contacted a friend at 11:30 pm to take her to fight her sister. Holmes hopped in the guy’s U-haul truck, and they pulled up to West Jackson and South Newberry Street in York City a half hour after midnight.

Holmes spotted Mayes while she was with friends. Instead of fighting like she said she would, she shouted, “I got something for you bitch” then started shooting into the crowd.

The U-Haul quickly fled the scene and left Mayes’ friend, 18-year-old Amiya Paige, with a gunshot to the back. She was rushed to the hospital, where she died an hour later.

Mayes, who Holmes was aiming for, was not hit.

Investigation

Even though Holmes was wearing a mask at the time of the shooting, the witnesses recognized her voice, eyes, and facial features and told cops she was the shooter.

The U-Haul was pulled over half an hour after the crime. Holmes fled the scene on foot, but the driver was detained and the vehicle was seized.

Authorities found gunshot residue, gloves, and two balaclava masks inside the U-Haul.

When they questioned the driver about his involvement, he claimed he had no idea she was planning to shoot someone.
Reports don’t indicate if he was charged in the incident.

The case generated significant local media attention.

With her face all over the news, Holmes turned herself in six days after the incident. She was charged with criminal homicide and attempted first-degree murder.

Legal Proceedings

Holmes pleaded guilty to criminal homicide in August 2024.

She had a degree of guilt hearing in October 2024.

Since Pennsylvania has first, second, and third degree murder, Holmes was hoping to convince the judge to convict her on one of the lesser degrees of murder.

The York Daily Record reported that Holmes testified of having schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, and other issues. She also said she was taking Xanax and Percocet and was a heavy drinker.

She said the day of the crime, she knocked back two and a half bottles of Hennessy. Her attorney claimed her substance and mental health issues prevented the murder from being a premeditated act.

When forced to explain why she was carrying a gun, Holmes claimed she brought a gun because her sister said she would have one.

Holmes said she fired her first shot in the air, but someone shot back, so she then shot directly at the group when she saw someone fall.

Holmes said she felt immediate regret and called around to see if it was Mayes she had hit, only to learn it was Paige, a young lady she had never met.

The prosecution said her communication and planning throughout the night made it an obvious premeditated act.

Holmes’ defense didn’t resonate with the judge, and he found her guilty of first-degree murder.

According to the York Daily Record, she was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

The sisters of her victim, Amiyah Paige, celebrated the sentence on social media by dancing at Paige’s grave.