A trip to Albany, Georgia, to purchase car rims ended in tragedy for 33-year-old Johnny Young of Jackson, Mississippi. On the morning of Saturday, October 27, 2018, Young and his brother-in-law arrived in the 1300 block of West Oglethorpe Boulevard for the transaction. Shortly after their arrival, two men appeared and opened fire on them before fleeing the scene on foot. Young was struck in the chest by the gunfire.
Albany police officers responded to the shooting at approximately 11 a.m. and found Young with a gunshot wound. He was transported to Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries around 12:30 p.m. that day. Investigators quickly suspected robbery as the motive for the fatal shooting. The investigation into the death of the male victim immediately became an active case, with police working to identify and locate those responsible for the violent encounter.
Within days of the shooting, the Albany Police Department identified and arrested two suspects. Javon Thomas, 18, and Key'Jylyn Norman, 20, were both charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. One of the suspects, Javon Thomas, had also sustained gunshot wounds and had arrived at the hospital shortly after Young. The investigation continued as police sought a third individual believed to be involved.
The search for the third suspect, 30-year-old Dontavious 'June June' Thomas, concluded in December 2018 when he turned himself in to the authorities. He was wanted on warrants for murder and aggravated assault. Upon his booking, he also faced charges of probation violation and gang activity. Police had also been searching for a gray or silver SUV, possibly a newer model Chevrolet Equinox, that was believed to be connected to the third suspect.
