In the summer of 2020, a young man's life was tragically cut short in what should have been a day of new beginnings. On July 7, 2020, 19-year-old Brian Woolridge was in Ellenwood, Georgia, helping his mother's fiancé and her son pack a U-Haul truck to move out of a home on Scarborough Road. The atmosphere was already tense, as the family was leaving due to ongoing harassment from the homeowner, 80-year-old Hailu Abebe. Abebe was the father of his son, Daniel, who was moving out with his fiancée, Alisha Price, and her children, including Brian.
The situation escalated horrifically when Hailu Abebe emerged from the house and opened fire on the moving truck where Brian Woolridge was working. A bullet struck Brian in the leg, causing him to flee from the truck and collapse in the yard. In a brutal act, Abebe then walked over to the injured teenager and fired another shot, this time fatally wounding him. In the immediate aftermath, Abebe's own family members detained him at the scene and called the police.
The case proceeded through the legal system, culminating in a trial where the events of that tragic day were laid bare. In January 2023, a Henry County jury found Hailu Abebe guilty of malice murder, felony murder, four counts of aggravated assault, and four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Following the conviction, Superior Court Judge Danielle Roberts sentenced Abebe to life in prison plus an additional 20 years. The prosecution highlighted the sad nature of the case, emphasizing that it had torn a family apart and that they were grateful to have secured justice for a young man who was just at the beginning of his life.
