In the winter of 2020, in Macon, Georgia, the life of 30-year-old Johntaves D'Angelo Coleman was tragically cut short. On the evening of January 30th, while at his Moreland Avenue home with three friends watching a basketball game, a knock came at the door. When Coleman answered, a single gunshot rang out. He stumbled back into his home, having been shot in the torso, and collapsed in the doorway. He died shortly after from the single gunshot wound to his chest.
His friends who were with him at the time did not see the shooter.
The investigation into the homicide quickly gained momentum. A witness in the neighborhood was able to identify a vehicle seen in the area around the time of the shooting. This information, combined with surveillance footage from a nearby store that captured the same vehicle and four individuals getting in and out of it, provided crucial leads for law enforcement.
Within days, the investigation led to a series of arrests. On February 2nd, after being interviewed by investigators, 17-year-old Johniya Latice Chappell was taken into custody. The following day, deputies, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, apprehended 20-year-old Xytwuan Monjai Calloway and 27-year-old Shawn Jeremy Robinson at a residence on Scotland Avenue. A fourth suspect, 26-year-old Terrance Lewis Ates, was arrested at his home on Hampton Road on the morning of February 5th by Bibb County Sheriff's deputies, Twiggs County Sheriff's deputies, and the U.S. Marshals. All four individuals were charged with murder and held without bond.
The motive behind the fatal shooting was revealed to be a botched armed robbery. Chappell confessed to her involvement and implicated her co-defendants, admitting they had planned the robbery. She claimed that when Coleman opened the door, she became scared and shot him before fleeing the scene. In a tragic twist, it was revealed that Coleman was acquainted with Chappell and her family. He had previously allowed her to stay in his home when she needed help and continued to provide her with assistance for school supplies and money even after asking her to leave due to a theft incident.
In August 2023, Johniya Chappell, then 20 years old, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault. She was sentenced to 50 years, with the first 25 years to be served in prison. The tragic case highlighted a senseless act of violence against a man who had shown kindness to one of his assailants.
