In the early morning hours of a Sunday in Americus, Georgia, the life of 26-year-old Marcus Laster was tragically cut short. On January 10, 2021, at approximately 1:02 a.m., law enforcement and medical personnel were dispatched to a residence in the 200 block of South Dudley Street following a report of a gunshot victim. Upon their arrival, they found Marcus Laster, a resident of South Hampton Street, suffering from a single gunshot wound to his upper body. He was quickly transported to Phoebe Sumter Medical Center for treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Marcus Laster succumbed to his injury at the hospital. The Americus Police Department immediately launched an investigation into the fatal shooting. Their inquiries swiftly led them to a suspect, 27-year-old Deshaun Washington, who lived on South Dudley Street, the same street where the shooting occurred. Within an hour of the initial call, at approximately 1:50 a.m., Washington was located and arrested in the Lakeview Circle area.
Deshaun Washington was taken into custody and is being held at the Sumter County Jail. He faces a string of serious charges in connection with the death of Marcus Laster, including murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Additionally, he has been charged with tampering with evidence. It was also noted that at the time of his arrest, Washington had outstanding warrants from an unrelated incident on January 6 for charges of entering an auto and obstruction of a police officer. The investigation into the death of Marcus Laster continues, and authorities have asked that anyone with additional information come forward.
