On the evening of April 27, 2018, in Marietta, Georgia, 19-year-old Tyon Demeko Gorman, a Black male, was fatally shot outside a shopping center on Bells Ferry Road. Emergency services responded to the scene shortly before 6:30 p.m. and found Gorman on the ground with at least one gunshot wound. He was rushed to Kennestone Hospital, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Witnesses reported seeing a white vehicle with a rear spoiler leaving the area after the shooting.
The investigation into Gorman's death led Marietta police to two teenage suspects. The first to be taken into custody was 18-year-old Mekhi Ahmad Hilali, who was arrested on May 2, 2018. He faced a series of serious charges, including felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Authorities also announced they were searching for a second individual, 17-year-old Je'marquis Wright, who was wanted for questioning.
A significant turn in the case came a couple of weeks later, on May 15, when Je'marquis Wright was located and arrested by Marietta detectives and the FBI's Safe Streets Gang Task Force. Wright was charged with felony murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault with intent to murder, and violation of the street gang and terrorism prevention act. During his arrest, authorities discovered multiple weapons and narcotics in his possession, leading to the anticipation of further charges. At this point, police stated their belief that all suspects involved in Gorman's death were in custody.
In a surprising development the following month, all charges against Mekhi Hilali in connection with the murder of Tyon Gorman were dropped. The Cobb County District Attorney's Office made this decision after surveillance footage provided a solid alibi for Hilali, proving he was at a gas station in another county at the time of the shooting. While the murder charges were dismissed, Hilali still faced legal trouble for unrelated drug charges stemming from a search of his home.
The legal proceedings for Je'marquis Wright continued, and in January 2019, it was reported that he was still accused in connection with Gorman's murder as part of a larger investigation into local gang activity. The final disposition of the charges against Wright is not detailed in the available online sources.
