Inset: Jer Auntey Pleasant (Bexar County Sheriff”s Office). Background: A parking lot in Banyan Tree Apartments in San Antonio, Tex., where one of the victims was killed (Google Maps).
A Texas man has been handed a heavy sentence after using a dating app to ensnare his victims, leading to their deaths. Jer Auntey Pleasant, 25, received four concurrent 50-year prison sentences on Friday for his involvement in the murders of Larry Wilson, 54, and Joseph West, 22. Additionally, he was convicted of aggravated robbery and the aggravated sexual assault of a minor, as reported by the Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.
Pleasant’s crimes date back to March 2022. Authorities detailed how he used Grindr, a prominent social networking app for the LGBTQ community, to connect with one of his victims. Their encounter took a violent turn when Pleasant attempted to rob the individual, ultimately shooting him, according to the DA’s office.
The criminal activities did not end there. By July 2022, Pleasant had committed a sexual assault against a 13-year-old, with DNA evidence subsequently confirming his culpability, as outlined by the prosecution.
Investigators believe Pleasant maintained a consistent pattern in his crimes, continuing his dangerous exploits into 2023. His actions have now led to a lengthy prison term, ensuring he spends the majority of his life behind bars.
In July of that year, Pleasant sexually assaulted a 13-year-old child, with DNA evidence identifying him as the perpetrator, the prosecutorial agency added.
Authorities suggested that the now-sentenced defendant had a modus operandi that he carried over into 2023.
“On two consecutive days in April 2023, Pleasant committed two separate murders,” the DA’s office said.
Under the name “Derek” on Grindr, Pleasant had been chatting with Wilson, and he arranged for the two of them to meet at the Banyan Tree Apartments in San Antonio, local NBC and The CW affiliate WOAI reported.
On April 14, 2023, they met, and Pleasant fatally shot Wilson.
“The following day, April 15, West was discovered in his apartment with a fatal gunshot wound to the head,” the DA’s office said. “Key evidence, including fingerprints matching Pleasant were found at both crime scenes, with ballistics confirming that the same firearm was used, allowing local authorities to quickly connect and solve both cases.”
One of the relevant pieces of evidence at both crime scenes was Pleasant’s fingerprint on condom wrappers, according to WOAI.
“I feel in my heart he was set up,” Larry Wilson’s brother, Johnny Wilson, told local CBS affiliate KENS the month of the murders. “Them dating apps nowadays. You’ve got to watch out. It can be setups.”
