In the summer of 2021, on the first of July, the life of 29-year-old Kapri Kadeem Ward, an African American male, was cut short in a violent encounter at the Durant Sugarloaf Apartments in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Just after midnight, the sound of gunshots shattered the night's quiet, leading to the discovery of Ward's body. Another male, later identified as 17-year-old Jamar Quarles of Memphis, Tennessee, was also found at the scene with critical injuries.
The initial investigation by
the Gwinnett County Police Department was shrouded in mystery, with the motive for the shooting unclear. Ward's father, who lived in the same apartment complex, tragically discovered his son's body and recounted hearing banging noises before his other children ran to him, saying their brother had been shot. The scene suggested a shootout, possibly related to a robbery.
Months later, a significant breakthrough in the case came with the arrests of three individuals in Memphis, Tennessee. Jamar Quarles, the same teenager found injured at the scene, was taken into custody along with two other juveniles, 15-year-old Theus Hopson and 20-year-old Emarion Boyland. They were all charged with felony murder in connection with Ward's death. A fourth individual, 23-year-old Aaron Rakir Todd, was also implicated as the alleged driver.
Prosecutors revealed that the group had traveled from Memphis with the intention of robbing Ward, who they believed was a marijuana dealer. On the night of the incident, Boyland, Hopson, and Quarles allegedly followed Ward to his apartment while Todd waited in a vehicle. A gunfight erupted on the stairwell, resulting in Ward being fatally shot in the chest. Quarles was also wounded during the exchange of gunfire. Unaware of his involvement at the time, police had transported Quarles to a local hospital, from which he later fled back to Tennessee before he could be questioned.
The wheels of justice turned, and in July 2025, a Gwinnett County jury found Emarion Boyland, Jamar Quarles, and Theus Hopson guilty on multiple counts, including felony murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Boyland received a life sentence, while Quarles and Hopson were each sentenced to life in prison plus five years of probation for a firearm possession charge. Aaron Rakir Todd, the alleged driver, is still facing charges including murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery.
