In the summer of 2019, the life of 24-year-old Jakari Malique Reddish was tragically cut short in his hometown of Jesup, Georgia. The young man, known affectionately as 'Duggy' to his family and friends, was a father who was remembered for his infectious smile and the deep love he held for his mother and children. His life was brought to a violent end on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, a day that would forever alter the lives of his loved ones.
The events leading to Reddish's death began to
unfold a couple of days prior, on August 11, 2019, when a burglary was reported in Wayne County. A safe containing money, jewelry, and other items was stolen from a residence. The investigation into this burglary would soon become intertwined with a homicide. In the early morning hours of August 13, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Reddish was at a residence on North Fourth Street in Jesup when he was confronted by several individuals. During this encounter, he was shot multiple times. He was rushed to Memorial Hospital in Savannah, where he succumbed to his injuries.
The investigation that followed, led by the Jesup Police Department with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, revealed that the shooting was an act of retaliation for the earlier burglary. Prior to the fatal shooting, Reddish and his family had received threats against his life. The investigation led to a number of arrests on various charges. Antonio Jarrell Brown, Ralph Doomes, Jr., and Quartez Demonte Doomes were arrested and faced charges including terroristic threats. Other individuals, Rahdal Tucker, Diquon Imari Wilkerson, and Malcolm Dante Hatcher, were also arrested on charges ranging from burglary and tampering with evidence to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Authorities also issued a warrant for Craig Allen Hawkins for burglary.
In April 2022, a significant development occurred in the case. Antonio Jarrell Brown, then 37, Quartez Doomes, 32, and Ralph Doomes, 44, pleaded guilty to charges of Aggravated Assault, Terroristic Threats, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. As part of a plea agreement, more serious charges, including Murder and Conspiracy to Commit Murder, were not prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office. It was explained that after a thorough review of the evidence, which included a lack of forensic evidence definitively placing the defendants at the murder scene and a witness who could not positively identify the assailants, there was insufficient evidence to prove the murder charges beyond a reasonable doubt. Brown was sentenced to 20 years, with the first 10 to be served in prison. Quartez and Ralph Doomes each received a sentence of 10 years, with three years to be served in prison.
