In the spring of 2020, a young Black male named Reeves McSwain, 21 years old, was found fatally shot in a residential neighborhood in Decatur, Georgia. The events leading to his death began to unfold on the afternoon of April 22nd, when he arranged to meet with individuals for the purpose of purchasing a weapon. McSwain was shot inside a vehicle during this transaction.
Following the shooting, his body was removed from the car and left on Longdale Drive.
An unknown number of suspects then fled the scene in his vehicle. McSwain was transported to a local hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries. The motive behind the deadly encounter appeared to be robbery, as the suspects reportedly stole McSwain's cash after shooting him.
The investigation into McSwain's death led to the arrests of two suspects within a week. The first, a 15-year-old male whose name was not released due to his age, was taken into custody and charged with murder. Authorities alleged that he was the one who shot McSwain. He was booked into the DeKalb County jail and subsequently housed at a regional youth detention center.
A few days later, a second suspect, 19-year-old Eliyahu Benyamin of Austell, was arrested in connection with the crime. Benyamin was accused of facilitating the fatal shooting and of moving McSwain's body from the vehicle after he had been shot. He was apprehended in Mableton with the assistance of the Cobb County police and faced charges of murder and aggravated assault. Benyamin was booked into the DeKalb County jail where he was held without bond.
