Shocking AutoZone Incident: Man’s Drastic Actions for a Change of Scenery

A man from Ohio has been sentenced to nearly ten years in prison after admitting to the fatal shooting of his girlfriend in an AutoZone parking lot.

Darien Hobley, 22, confessed to charges of involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence on February 2. These charges relate to the death of his 20-year-old girlfriend, Riley Jones. The tragic incident occurred on August 4, 2025, when Hobley shot Jones while sitting in his car at an AutoZone parking lot in Bedford. During his sentencing, as reported by WKYC, a local NBC affiliate, Hobley expressed remorse, stating in court that he “didn’t want to hurt her” and offered an apology to Jones’ family.

Surveillance footage, as covered by WKYC, showed the events leading up to the shooting. Riley Jones followed Hobley into the AutoZone parking lot with her car. Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge Hollie Gallagher detailed how Jones blocked Hobley’s vehicle, exited her own car visibly upset, approached Hobley’s car, and opened his driver’s side door.

Judge Gallagher described the incident, stating, “The door opens, and she leans in the car. And within seconds, a shot’s fired and she’s on the ground.” Jones suffered a single gunshot wound to the chest and was declared dead after being taken to the hospital.

According to a report by local Fox affiliate WJW, a witness who called 911 described seeing Hobley “standing there over [Jones] with the gun” following the shooting.

Hobley told the court that Jones “reached for” his gun and he “got scared.” He said, “I tried to help, but I didn’t know what to do. And everything was so overwhelming. I just walked away. I just needed a new scenery.”

Before issuing a sentence, Gallagher said, “This is why people Mr. Hobley’s age shouldn’t have a weapon. They are not operating on all cylinders yet. This is a really tragic, tragic case. It’s just awful.”

Hobley was sentenced to 8 to 10 1/2 years in prison plus two years of parole upon release.