Murder Arrest: Ferris Street(1/26/25)

On January 26, 2025, at approximately 2:08 a.m., officers responded to Ferris St. for the report of gunshots fired in the area, followed by the report of two people shot inside 29 Ferris St. It was learned the suspect fired gunshots from the sidewalk into the house.

Officers arrived and located 23-year-old Jeremiah Maddox, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A 19-year-old male was transported to URMC with a non-life threatening gunshot wound to his lower body. Three others inside the house were not hit by the gunfire. According to the property owner, nobody actually lived at the location, he keeps it as an ‘extra house’ for his children.

During the course of the investigation Major Crimes Homicide Detectives learned the shooting into the house was related to an ongoing dispute over illegal activity the people who hung out at the residence and the suspect were involved in. Detectives were able to identify the shooter as 20-year-old Jawanza Abrams (male – City of Rochester resident).

On July 18, 2025, Abrams was taken into custody by members of the Tactical Unit. He has been charged with Murder 2nd Degree and two counts of Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the 2nd Degrees. He will be arraigned at a time to be determined.

This is still an ongoing investigation and additional charges may be presented to a Monroe County Grand Jury.

Abrams was arrested and indicted in March of this year for Criminal Possession of a Weapon 2nd & 3rd Degree as well as Criminal Possession of stolen property. That arrest stemmed from a larceny occurring at Wal-Mart in Henrietta. Abrams was inside of a vehicle that was stopped and he was in possession of a loaded handgun. He was out of custody on those charges at the time of his murder arrest this morning.