On a Saturday evening in Dublin, Georgia, the life of 34-year-old Marquis Horne was tragically cut short. The date was February 12, 2022, and what began as a dispute ended in fatal violence in the parking lot of a Cash and Carry on South Jefferson Street. Dublin police officers in the vicinity heard the gunshots and responded to the scene, where they found Horne with a gunshot wound. He was rushed to Fairview Park Hospital, but his injuries proved to be mortal, and he was pronounced dead.
The subsequent investigation, a joint effort between the Dublin Police Department and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, quickly identified a suspect. Investigators learned that earlier in the evening, Horne had been involved in an altercation with 31-year-old Gary Cross. The investigation led to the swift arrest of Cross and his girlfriend, Marueisha Treadwell. Cross was charged with murder and aggravated assault for his role in the shooting. Treadwell faced a charge of making false statements to investigators. Both were taken into custody and held at the Laurens County Detention Center.
The legal process moved forward, culminating in a trial for Gary Cross. In June 2025, a Laurens County jury found him guilty on all counts related to the murder of Marquis Horne. The following month, he appeared before a Superior Court judge for sentencing. Despite an apology to Horne's family and his own, Cross was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The judge in the case described the crime as 'cold-blooded' and noted the alarming disregard for the safety of others present at the scene. The entire incident was captured on a store's surveillance camera, providing key evidence in the prosecution's case. It was also revealed during the proceedings that as a convicted felon, Cross was legally prohibited from possessing a firearm at the time of the shooting.
