On the night of July 22, 2019, a family outing to see a movie turned into a tragedy that would unravel a story of betrayal and violence in Mableton, Georgia. George Anthony Vela, a 24-year-old male, returned home with his girlfriend, Yainerys 'Yaya' Gil, and their children from watching 'The Lion King' to find their Hickory Trail home had been burglarized. After the police had taken a report and departed, Vela noticed a suspicious car parked nearby.
Believing his stolen belongings might be inside, he went to investigate. He discovered his shoes, clothes, and other items he sold online inside the vehicle. When he confronted the person in the driver's seat, he was shot multiple times and died at the scene.
In the initial days following the shooting, Vela's girlfriend, Yainerys Gil, gave emotional interviews to the media, pleading for justice for the father of her two children. She recounted holding Vela in her arms as he died. However, the investigation by the Cobb County Police Department took a dramatic turn. In August 2019, authorities arrested Gil, then 23, along with 19-year-olds Christopher Gutierrez and Zackary Franks. All three were charged with aggravated assault and felony murder in connection with Vela's death.
The narrative of a grieving girlfriend quickly crumbled as details of the investigation emerged. Police alleged that Gil had orchestrated the killing of her boyfriend. According to arrest warrants, she had conspired with Gutierrez and Franks, keeping them informed of Vela's whereabouts throughout the day and night of the murder. A motive pointing towards a love triangle began to surface, with a detective testifying that Gil and Franks were romantically involved. It was also revealed that Vela had suspected Gil of cheating on him.
In November 2019, a Cobb County grand jury indicted Gil, Franks, and Gutierrez on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and first-degree burglary. Yainerys Gil later negotiated a plea deal and was sentenced to 25 years in prison. In December 2021, Zackary Mason Franks was convicted on five counts, including murder, for his role in the shooting. The driver who shot Vela was identified as Franks, who had reportedly bragged in a text message about finally getting to use his gun. All three suspects were held at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center following their arrests.
