Man who shot and killed Pittsburgh U-Haul clerk in 2021 sentenced to life in prison

The man convicted of killing a U-Haul employee in 2021 has received a mandatory life sentence without the chance for parole.

Braijon Burton, 24, had no questions or comments during his sentencing hearing on Monday, as the judge called him a “danger to society.”

Burton was convicted of second-degree murder and other charges earlier this year, in the shooting death of Jacob Jaillet.

The 21-year-old victim had been working at a U-Haul facility in Larimer when Burton stole a truck and shot Jaillet in the back before fleeing. He then proceeded to injure an officer during a chase and fired several shots at another driver.

The judge stated that Burton appeared to show no remorse during the trial, and called the death “senseless.”

The sentence was read after Jaillet’s parents presented emotional impact statements.

Tami Jaillet, the victim’s mother, told the court that her son had a “beautiful smile” and dearly loved his friends and family. She stated that Jacob wasn’t originally scheduled to work that day, but went in to assist the team following a sick call.

The 21-year-old did not die instantly but rather suffered for days in the hospital while cognizant of what had occurred. His mother said he was a “prisoner in his own body” and referred to Burton as a “coward.”

Burton’s attorney, a public defender, called a forensic social worker to testify. The social worker painted Burton as a young man who had a troubled upbringing, and whose own father received a life prison sentence when he was a young child. Burton, the social worker said, was exposed to gun violence from a young age.

The judge acknowledged those statements while issuing her sentence, indicating that Burton should not have perpetuated the violence he himself was impacted by. The judge further noted that mental health treatment and social services were provided to Burton as a child.

While the life sentence was mandatory, the public defender argued against it, citing an ongoing Pennsylvania Supreme Court case challenging the constitutionality of a life without parole sentence for second-degree murder.

The prosecutor, however, noted that the case centers on a murder defendant who was not the actual killer. Burton, meanwhile, pulled the trigger that ultimately killed Jaillet.

Burton has 30 days to appeal his sentence.

Channel 11 spoke with the victim’s mother after the proceeding. She expressed to Channel 11 how much she loved her son, and stated that she is happy with the sentence.

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