Shooter who killed 20-year-old outside a Lexington convenience store sentenced to 40 years

A Lexington man who shot and killed someone outside a Lexington convenience store has been sentenced to 40 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Caelan Gills, 25, was sentenced by Fayette Circuit Judge Lucy VanMeter Wednesday after reaching a plea deal with prosecutors that reduced his murder charge to first-degree manslaughter. He also pleaded guilty to tampering with physical evidence, first-degree fleeing or evading police, first-degree wanton endangerment, fourth-degree assault and second-degree persistent felony offender.

Gills originally faced 11 charges: murder, receiving stolen property, tampering with physical evidence, wanton endangerment, assault, fleeing or evading police, leaving the scene of the accident and failure to render aid, disregarding a stop sign, disregarding a traffic device and being a persistent felony offender.

Five of those charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement, according to court documents.

Gills faced these charges after he was arrested in the death of 20-year-old Ja’quis Ray, a Lexington resident. Police said Ray was sitting in an SUV in the parking lot of the Woodhill Food Mart when Gills shot at him and a female passenger multiple times.

Ray died of his injuries and the woman, who was also 20 years old at the time, suffered minor injuries.

Gills was not apprehended by police until later in March 2021 when he fled through Louisville and several counties in a high-speed police chase that later continued on foot.

Gills and his attorney requested that the sentences be served partially concurrent for a total of 20 years, according to court documents. Gills alleged that Ray pulled a gun on him first, and he was acting under extreme emotional disturbance at the time he shot Ray, according to court records.

“Mr. Gills ultimately admitted, as part of the plea agreement that the government offered, that while the shooting was intentional, he was acting under a state of extreme emotional disturbance at the time he shot (Ray),” Gills’ attorney wrote in court records. “Mr. Gills had been shot at on a prior occasion by associates of (Ray).”

Gills’ attorney argued that manslaughter and a high-speed chase “cannot be tolerated in our community” but 20 years was a fair sentence for Gills to serve.

Ray’s aunt, Shannon Weaver, said the case was not one of self-defense like defense attorney Brad Clark and Gills tried to say.

“No one could imagine their child being killed, but being killed for no reason,” she said.

She asked he be given a maximum sentence and ask that he not be eligible for parole until after 20 years, if it was granted.

“That was the age of my nephew when his life was taken,” she said. ... “Murderers kill because they receive little to no consequences. (Gills) had a total disregard for life that day and the day of the speed chase. I ask that you show his actions have consequences and not only did he take a life with no remorse, but he took a piece of everyone that loved him.”

Ray’s sister also spoke, and asked VanMeter through tears to “honor her role in the community” and hold Gills accountable for his fatal actions.

Gills’ father, Oliver Mabson III, also spoke to the court and to Ray’s family, who he said he has known many years.

“These are not just random (people) in the court to me,” he said. “These are people I knew long before I thought of having my own kids. ... It is obvious Ja’quis was someone who meant something to a lot of people in this room and outside of this courtroom, but so is Caelan.”

Mabson said the shooting is unlike Gills.

“I don’t know who that person was, but I know who my son is. It is nothing I knew of him to be,” Mabson said. “I ask that the court understands the incident that took place and I hope everyone can walk out of here with some sense of love for each other.”

VanMeter said Gills’ violent behavior caused Ray’s death and afterwards, he showed more bad judgment because of his actions to participate in a high speed chase.

“As it was stated in the court today, this type of conduct has become a plague on our community, and there must be consequences,” VanMeter said.