In the late autumn of 2018, the life of Allen Craig Willard Jr., a 25-year-old White male from Suwanee, Georgia, was tragically cut short. On Tuesday, November 20, 2018, what began as a midday meal between co-workers in downtown Buford ended in a fatal shooting that left a community in shock. Willard, a U.S. Army veteran who had served a tour in Afghanistan, was shot and killed at the intersection of South Lee Street and West Main Street. He had been eating lunch at Rico's World Kitchen with his co-worker, Jerome Daniel Colvin.
Following the meal, an altercation broke out between the two men. As they left the restaurant, Colvin fatally shot Willard in the back of the head. The initial reports of an active shooter prompted a swift police response, and officers discovered Willard deceased in the roadway. It was quickly determined that it was not a random act of violence, but rather a dispute between two individuals who knew each other. Colvin, then 34, was apprehended by police just moments after the shooting as he attempted to flee the area on foot. He reportedly also tried to shoot another co-worker who had been with them, but the gun malfunctioned.
Jerome Daniel Colvin of Auburn, Georgia, was immediately taken into custody and charged with felony murder, malice murder, and aggravated assault. During the subsequent investigation and court proceedings, Colvin exhibited bizarre behavior. He made strange statements to investigators about 'circles' and the 'stars aligning,' claiming the shooting was part of his plan. In his initial court appearance, he taunted Willard's grieving family members.
After years of legal delays, the case against Colvin concluded with a verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. In a ruling that brought a measure of relief to Willard's family, the judge ordered that Colvin be committed to a state mental health facility, deeming him a potential threat to himself and others. The family, who remembered Allen as a man who would give the shirt off his back to help someone, felt that while the ruling prevented Colvin's release, it did not represent true justice for their loss.
