On a fateful morning in Norcross, Georgia, the life of 22-year-old Malik Samir Werts was tragically cut short. On January 31, 2020, what began as a day of packing for a move ended in a violent home invasion that resulted in his death. Werts, a male, found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, the unintended victim of a planned robbery targeting his roommate.
The events of that day unfolded after two men, Corey Myart and Gabriel Morales, learned that Werts's roommate occasionally sold marijuana and kept the substance in their apartment on Ashley Lakes Drive. Believing there to be a significant amount of the drug present, they conspired to rob him. Earlier that morning, as Werts's roommate was loading a U-Haul truck, he had a brief and seemingly innocuous encounter with the two men, even giving Myart a cigarette. Moments after the roommate returned to his apartment, the situation escalated dramatically. Myart and Morales burst through the door, brandishing handguns.
While Morales held the roommate at bay, forcing him to the floor, Myart began to search the apartment for the drugs and money he believed to be inside. It was during this chaotic search that the roommate heard a gunshot coming from the room where Malik Werts was located. A witness outside saw Myart and Morales flee the scene in a black car, speeding away from the apartment complex. The roommate, who had been introduced to Morales the day before by an acquaintance, was able to provide investigators with crucial information that led to their identification. He even had a screenshot of Morales's Instagram account and a text message identifying him as the 'short gunman.'
The investigation into Malik Werts's death led to the arrests of Corey Myart and Gabriel Morales. In May 2024, a Gwinnett County jury found both men guilty for their roles in the deadly home invasion. Corey Myart was convicted of felony murder, aggravated assault, and felony home invasion. Gabriel Morales was found guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault. Both men are now awaiting sentencing and face the possibility of life in prison. A third individual, Cobe Myart, the brother of Corey Myart, has also been charged in connection with the incident and is currently awaiting trial.
