In the warm evening of July 26, 2022, in Macon, Georgia, a gathering of people outside the Waverly Pointe apartments on Forest Hill Road was shattered by gunfire. When the chaos subsided, 17-year-old Jayden Kareem Ellington, an African American male, was among the victims of the violent outburst. The shooting, which occurred around 7:15 PM, also claimed the life of 26-year-old Roctavia Edwards and left two other teenagers hospitalized with injuries.
The Bibb County Sheriff's Office launched a thorough investigation into the deadly shooting. Their efforts led them to focus on a townhouse within the apartment complex. A search of the residence uncovered a significant amount of marijuana, as well as several handguns, rifles, and ammunition. The investigation quickly pointed to two individuals connected to the townhouse.
Authorities arrested 37-year-old Shaqwonda Lakisha Russell and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Kenneth Eugene Williams Jr., in connection with the incident. Russell was taken into custody at the scene, while Williams, who had left the apartment complex after the shooting, was apprehended two days later. Both were booked into the Bibb County Jail and held without bond.
The suspects faced a litany of serious charges. Kenneth Eugene Williams Jr. was charged with two counts of murder and two counts of aggravated assault. Shaqwonda Lakisha Russell faced one count of murder. In addition to the charges directly related to the violence, both were also charged with various drug and weapons offenses stemming from the search of their residence. The community mourned the loss of the two young lives, with a Celebration of Life held for Jayden Ellington to honor his memory.
