Two Men Convicted In Separate Trials In Killing Of Jaylin Hartless

FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA — Two men have been convicted of second-degree murder in the 2025 shooting death of a 21-year-old man outside his Fairfax County apartment, Commonwealth’s Attorney Steve Descano announced Wednesday.

Separate Fairfax County juries convicted Tavon Ferguson, 32, and Tavon Lang, 33, of second-degree murder and use of a firearm in the commission of a felony. Ferguson was convicted Aug. 20, while Lang was convicted July 17.

Jaylin Hartless was shot four times outside his vehicle early on Sept. 19, 2025, in the parking lot of his apartment complex on Buckman Road, according to Descano’s office. Before the shooting, Ferguson and Lang had been moving through the neighborhood, attempting to open car doors and stealing property from vehicles, prosecutors said.

Physical And Digital Evidence Presented At Trials

Prosecutors presented surveillance video that showed Ferguson and Lang moving through the neighborhood before the shooting and later running to the Audubon Avenue apartment of Ferguson’s mother. The two men changed clothes there before leaving separately, according to the Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Detectives recovered two 9 mm cartridge cases and two .25-caliber cartridge cases at the scene, indicating that two guns were used. Investigators also recovered Lang’s palm print from a vehicle parked beside Hartless’ body and identified Ferguson’s DNA on one of the cartridge cases, prosecutors said.

Additional evidence included witness testimony, statements by the defendants and information recovered from their phones. Ferguson’s phone contained Google searches for news about the shooting that were made before information about it had been released publicly, according to Descano’s office. Text messages from Lang’s phone showed he was concerned about going to jail after the shooting.

“Jaylin Hartless was a perfect stranger to these two defendants, who shot and killed him outside his own car in the parking lot of his apartment complex,” Descano said. “With the conclusion of Ferguson’s trial last week, following Lang’s conviction last month, both men who committed this senseless murder have been brought to justice.”

Lang is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 16. Ferguson’s sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 4.