A Peoria County judge sentenced Byron Jarvis, 16, to 55 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections on Friday for a 2023 murder.
Peoria County State’s Attorney Jodi Hoos describes the murder in Peoria’s East Bluff in August 23 as “execution style.” A surveillance video captured Jarvis shooting Dahvie Brown-Bey four times at close range.
Hoos said one of the kids who witnessed the murder was 10 years old.
A Peoria County Jury found Jarvis guilty of first-degree murder in December 2024.
The State’s Attorney’s Office said three rows of the courtroom were filled with Brown-Bey’s family members on Friday. They spoke about their memories of Brown-Bey and said they forgave Jarvis and hope “that one day, he can understand the harm he has caused to himself.”
While delivering the sentence, Chief Judge Katherine Gorman said youth gun violence is “not cute, it’s not fine and it’s not a video game.”
Jarvis was 14 at the time of the murder; his case was transferred to adult court in December 2023. Jarvis will serve his sentence in both juvenile and adult facilities. He is eligible for parole after 20 years.
