In a tragic turn of events that began with a missing persons report, the body of 25-year-old Derrick Davion Ruff, a male from Greensboro, was discovered months after his disappearance. Ruff, along with his friend Joshua Lee Jackson, also 25, were last seen on December 18, 2018. Their concerned families reported them missing, launching an investigation that would uncover a grim and calculated plot.
The search for the two men ended in March 2019, when their bodies were found inside a storage unit in Lawrenceville, Georgia. Both men had been shot to death. The investigation into their deaths soon revealed a connection to gang activity.
The case against the individuals responsible for the deaths of Ruff and Jackson slowly came together as investigators from Gwinnett County, Athens-Clarke County, and the FBI delved into the circumstances surrounding their murders. The investigation led to the identification of five suspects, all alleged members of the Gangster Disciples street gang. The motive for the murders appeared to be rooted in internal gang conflict. Authorities believe the suspects wrongly suspected Ruff and Jackson of cooperating with law enforcement. This suspicion led to a plan to lure the two men to their deaths under the guise of having them break into storage units to steal items for a fellow gang member who was in hiding.
A grand jury handed down a 21-count indictment against the five suspects: Lesley Chappelle Green, Shabazz Larry Guidry, Robert Maurice Carlisle, Philmon Deshawn Chambers, and Justin Jamal Davis. The charges were extensive, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, concealing a death, and violations of the Georgia Street Gang Terrorism Prevention Act. Chambers was identified as a high-ranking member of the gang who allegedly ordered the murders. The indictment detailed a brutal crime, suggesting the victims were tortured before they were killed. Evidence gathered through wiretaps and other investigative means was crucial in building the case against the accused.
The legal process culminated in the conviction of the men responsible for the deaths of Derrick Davion Ruff and Joshua Lee Jackson. In August 2023, a federal jury convicted Philmon Deshawn Chambers, Andrea Paige Browner and Lesley Chappell Green on various charges, including racketeering and murder. Chambers and Browner received mandatory life sentences. Green also faced a maximum sentence of life in prison. Two other co-defendants, Robert Maurice Carlisle and Shabazz Larry Guidry, had previously pleaded guilty to racketeering charges and also faced up to life in prison. The sentencings brought a measure of closure to the families of the victims, who had endured months of uncertainty followed by a lengthy and complex legal battle.
