A mother and son from Valley Stream, Long Island, have been handed lengthy prison sentences for the brutal killing of a man in Queens over a dispute involving $350 in car repairs. Avita Campbell, 40, and Raymond Jackson, 25, pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter and second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. This plea was made in relation to the fatal shooting of Lasaaun Lawrence, 27, in Far Rockaway in September 2020. The judge sentenced Jackson, identified as the shooter, to 24 years behind bars, while his mother received a 22-year prison stint.
The incident occurred when Lawrence went to Campbell and Jackson’s home to collect the money he believed Jackson owed him for an unfinished car repair. A fight broke out between the two men, leading to the tragic outcome.
Surveillance footage captured Jackson and Campbell exiting a white BMW on Beach 31st Street in Far Rockaway. Jackson was armed with a gun, while Campbell wielded a metal pipe. They approached Lawrence, who was sitting in a double-parked car, and Jackson fired multiple shots at him, fatally injuring him. Campbell then smashed the windshield of Lawrence’s car with the pipe. The mother and son quickly fled the scene in their BMW, leaving Lawrence to die.
Approximately a week later, Campbell and Jackson were pulled over by the police while driving the same white BMW used during the shooting. Campbell was driving with a suspended license, leading to the search of their vehicle. The police found a loaded handgun, later confirmed to be the murder weapon, inside a book bag. They also discovered a notebook and spreadsheet containing personal information, suggesting Campbell’s involvement in fraudulent activities. Campbell was carrying forged gift cards and credit cards in other people’s names as well.
Although Campbell and Jackson were initially released before being linked to Lawrence’s murder, Jackson fled the state and was apprehended in Florida in December 2020. He was subsequently extradited to New York to face charges for Lawrence’s death.
Lawrence’s siblings revealed that their brother was killed over a dispute involving $350 for body work that Jackson was supposed to perform on Lawrence’s dollar van.