A dispute between neighbors in Griffin, Georgia, ended in the shooting death of Rafaeil Thomas, a 46-year-old male. The incident occurred on a Friday evening in May 2022, when police were called to a residence on West Tinsley Street around 7 p.m. for a report of a person being shot. Upon arrival, officers discovered Thomas with a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was quickly transported to Wellstar Spalding Regional Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.
Witnesses at the scene informed investigators that they had seen Thomas arguing with a neighbor shortly before the shooting took place. This information, along with evidence recovered at the scene, quickly led police to identify 35-year-old Lamarion Sharod Banks as the suspect. Banks lived just a few houses down the street from where the shooting occurred. The cooperation of area residents was crucial in the rapid identification of a suspect.
Within hours of the fatal shooting, investigators obtained and executed a search warrant for Banks' home. During the search, they found a 9mm handgun. The ammunition in the handgun matched the brand of shell casings that were found at the crime scene, further implicating Banks in the shooting.
Lamarion Sharod Banks, who was on probation at the time and had a lengthy criminal history, was arrested that same night. He was subsequently charged with malice murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
