SAN ANTONIO, Texas — A 25-year-old man received four concurrent 50-year prison sentences Friday for using a dating app to lure two men to their deaths in separate meetings, then shooting and killing both victims during robbery attempts.
Jer Auntey Pleasant was convicted of murdering 54-year-old Larry Wilson and 22-year-old Joseph West on consecutive days in April 2023, along with charges for aggravated robbery and aggravated sexual assault of a child. The Bexar County Criminal District Attorney’s Office announced the sentencing, which effectively ensures Pleasant will spend the majority of his life behind bars for what prosecutors described as a calculated pattern of predatory behavior targeting victims through the LGBTQ social networking app Grindr.
Pleasant’s criminal pattern began in March 2022, when he first used Grindr to meet a victim and shot the man during a robbery attempt, according to prosecutors. In July 2022, Pleasant sexually assaulted a 13-year-old child, with DNA evidence later identifying him as the perpetrator. The crimes escalated to murder in April 2023, when Pleasant used the alias “Derek” on Grindr to arrange meetings with Wilson and West. On April 14, 2023, Pleasant met Wilson at the Banyan Tree Apartments in San Antonio and fatally shot him. The following day, West was discovered in his apartment with a fatal gunshot wound to the head.
Key evidence linking Pleasant to both crime scenes included his fingerprints found on condom wrappers at both locations, according to local reports. Ballistics testing confirmed that the same firearm was used in both murders, allowing investigators to quickly connect the cases and identify Pleasant as the suspect. “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,” the district attorney’s office stated in announcing the conviction.
The murders shocked the local community and highlighted dangers associated with meeting strangers through dating applications. Larry Wilson’s brother, Johnny Wilson, expressed his belief that his sibling had been deliberately targeted. “I feel in my heart he was set up,” Johnny Wilson told local CBS affiliate KENS during the month of the murders. “Them dating apps nowadays. You’ve got to watch out. It can be setups.” The case underscored growing concerns among law enforcement about criminals using dating platforms to identify and target potential victims for robberies and other violent crimes.
Pleasant’s conviction represents the conclusion of a comprehensive investigation that spanned multiple jurisdictions and involved extensive forensic evidence analysis. The concurrent sentencing structure means Pleasant will serve all four 50-year terms simultaneously, making him eligible for parole consideration only after serving a substantial portion of the sentence. Court records show Pleasant was charged with two counts of murder, aggravated robbery, and aggravated sexual assault of a child, with prosecutors successfully securing convictions on all counts during the legal proceedings.
The case highlighted the vulnerability of individuals using dating applications to meet strangers, particularly within LGBTQ communities where such platforms serve as primary social networking tools. Grindr, which brands itself as “the world’s largest social networking app” for the LGBTQ community, has faced scrutiny over safety measures and user verification processes. Local law enforcement agencies have increasingly warned users of dating applications to meet in public places and inform trusted contacts of their whereabouts when meeting new people through digital platforms.
Pleasant remains incarcerated in the Texas prison system, where he will serve his sentences concurrently. The case stands as one of the most significant prosecutions in recent years involving crimes committed through dating applications, with legal experts noting the comprehensive forensic evidence that secured the convictions.
