Shay Jelavan was a Human male native of Taris who was the younger brother of Jedi Padawan Shad Jelavan. Orphaned as a young boy in 3966 BBY, Jelavan lived in Taris' Middle City with his older sister, Shel, supported by Shad's stipend. In 3964 BBY, Shad was murdered with three of his classmates by their Jedi Masters, who believed that one of them would bring about the fall of the Jedi Order—fellow Padawan Zayne Carrick, Shad's best friend, escaped the carnage and was officially blamed for the murders. Although Shad's death left them with no one to support them, the Jelavans received a large amount of money from a mysterious benefactor, enough for Shay to be sent offworld to live with his grandparents on the planet Ord Mantell.