In the quiet subdivision of Water's Edge in Stone Mountain, Georgia, a tragedy unfolded that shattered the community's sense of peace. A 20-year-old male named David Hayman, who was originally from Delaware and was living with his grandmother, was found dead in the front yard of a home on Watson Bay Trail on the morning of Thursday, March 31, 2022. The grim discovery was made after neighbors reported hearing a commotion and gunfire the previous night, around 11 p.m. His body had been concealed by bushes, which is why it was not discovered until the following morning.
The investigation into the death of the young man, who was a male, quickly began. Crime scene investigators scoured the neighborhood, collecting evidence that included bullets and an extended magazine clip. It was determined that Hayman had been shot and killed. According to reports, an altercation occurred as Hayman was walking home. During the confrontation, he was pistol-whipped before being fatally shot in the face. Authorities have stated that the victim and the person who attacked him did not know each other. The unexpected violence left residents of the normally quiet and beautiful community in shock and sadness.
Within weeks of the incident, the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Unit made an arrest in connection with the murder. On Tuesday, April 26, 2022, they located and apprehended 22-year-old Aurion Johnson of Stone Mountain at an apartment complex in the nearby city of Clarkston. Johnson was taken into custody and charged with malice murder for the death of David Hayman. He was subsequently booked into the DeKalb County Jail, where he is being held without bond.
