On New Year's Eve, December 31, 2019, the life of 34-year-old Quinten Payne was tragically cut short in Adel, Georgia. That evening, the Adel Police Department received a 911 call reporting a shooting in the vicinity of 305 N. Adams Street. Upon their arrival, officers discovered Payne deceased at the scene, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds. Another man, 29-year-old Cody Robinson, was also found at the scene with gunshot wounds. Robinson was transported to a local hospital for treatment but ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to assist the Adel Police Department with the homicide investigation. Their collaborative efforts led to the identification of several suspects. In February 2020, arrest warrants were issued for 19-year-old Shamar Wilson, 17-year-old Gerome Pickett, and an unnamed 16-year-old juvenile. At the time the warrants were issued, Wilson and Pickett were already incarcerated in the Lowndes County Jail on unrelated charges. The juvenile was taken into custody without incident. All three were charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault in connection with the deaths of Payne and Robinson.
The investigation continued, and in May 2020, a fourth suspect was arrested. Tavares Askew, 19, was taken into custody and also charged with two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault. He was being held in the Baldwin County Jail. The investigation into the deaths of Quinten Payne and Cody Robinson was described as active and ongoing, with law enforcement encouraging anyone with information to come forward.
