On an autumn night in Atlanta, Georgia, the vibrant atmosphere of the Members Only Lounge was shattered by a fatal dispute. It was the early morning of Thursday, October 29, 2020, when Caleb Culbreath, a 27-year-old male employee of the establishment located at 139 Ralph McGill Boulevard NE, was shot in the chest. The altercation reportedly began over the price of admission to the popular lounge, which is owned by the rapper 2 Chainz.
Responding to a call around 2:20 a.m., Atlanta police
officers arrived at the scene to find Culbreath with a serious gunshot wound. He was quickly transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, but the injury proved to be fatal, and he succumbed to his wounds. The initial investigation pointed to a heated argument over the cover charge that escalated to the point of deadly violence, cutting short the life of the young man from Jonesboro. A funeral service to honor his memory was held on November 7, 2020, at the Riverdale Chapel of the Willie A. Watkins Funeral Home.
For months, the investigation into Caleb Culbreath's death continued. Then, on July 14, 2021, a breakthrough was announced by the Atlanta Police Homicide Unit. Investigators had identified a suspect and secured arrest warrants for Malik Payne, born in May of 1997. The charges brought against him were severe: Felony Murder and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon.
The apprehension of Payne took place in Clifton Township, Michigan, through a coordinated effort between the Atlanta Police Department's Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals. Following his arrest, Payne awaited extradition back to Atlanta to face legal proceedings for his alleged involvement in the shooting death of Caleb Culbreath.
