In the quiet town of Milledgeville, Georgia, a tragedy unfolded on September 27, 2022, that cut short the life of 27-year-old Chavonta Braddy. A family member made the grim discovery at his home on Edwards Street, finding Braddy deceased from multiple gunshot wounds. The violence of the act was further evidenced by a vehicle at the residence that was also riddled with bullets.
The Baldwin County Sheriff's Office, along with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and other law enforcement agencies, immediately launched a homicide investigation into the death of the male victim.
The investigation into Braddy's death soon became intertwined with another violent episode that shook Milledgeville just days later. In what police described as a retaliatory, gang-related act, a drive-by shooting occurred in the Wray Homes/West End projects. A silver sedan carrying several individuals unleashed a barrage of over 50 gunshots, including rounds from an AR-15 rifle. The intended targets were a group of people, including children, at an apartment complex. This led to a high-speed chase and the eventual arrest of three suspects: Keymon Lacarl Johnson, then 18, Tyler Lamont Pounds, 17, and Travis Terrell Simmons, 22.
The subsequent legal proceedings brought some measure of justice for the drive-by shooting. The trio was indicted on multiple counts of aggravated assault and other charges. Travis Terrell Simmons, who was out on bond at the time of the shooting, was identified by the Milledgeville Police Chief as a significant instigator of gun violence in the city. In April 2023, a judge revoked Simmons' probation, sentencing him to 25 years in prison. Later, in February 2024, Simmons pleaded guilty to nine counts of aggravated assault and other charges related to the drive-by, receiving an additional 50-year sentence, with the first 18 to be served concurrently with his prior sentence. Tyler Lamont Pounds also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison followed by 40 years of probation.
Despite the arrests and convictions related to the subsequent drive-by shooting, the investigation into Chavonta Braddy's murder remains open. As of early 2024, no arrests have been officially announced in direct connection with his homicide. The belief by law enforcement that the drive-by was in retaliation for Braddy's death has not yet led to public charges for his murder against the three men convicted in the shooting. The authorities have continued to appeal to the public for any information that might lead to a breakthrough in the case.
