Emory Austin Carter Jr., a 20-year-old African American male, was shot and killed on the evening of November 28, 2016, in Valdosta, Georgia. His death was the culmination of a series of violent events that began two weeks earlier. The entire situation was described by the Valdosta Police Chief as a tragedy that may have been averted with community cooperation.
The chain of events leading to Carter's death began on November 14, 2016, when he and another individual allegedly went to the residence of 25-year-old Brian Keith Moore with the intent to rob him. During the attempted robbery, Carter reportedly shot and killed Moore. Following the shooting, a friend of Moore's removed a handgun and narcotics from the scene before police arrived. Although Moore's family and friends became aware that Carter was the shooter, this information was not shared with law enforcement, which police say significantly hindered their investigation.
On the night of his death, at approximately 9:18 p.m., Emory Austin Carter Jr. was shot multiple times and killed while walking through the Ora Lee West housing complex on East Ann Street. Investigators believe his murder was an act of retribution for the killing of Brian Moore.
In connection with the interconnected homicides, the Valdosta Police Department made several arrests. Justin Emanuel Brown, 28, who was the brother of Brian Moore, was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime for the death of Emory Austin Carter Jr. and was held at the Lowndes County Jail. Additionally, Malik Griffin, 20, was charged with aggravated assault for his alleged role as the driver for Carter during Moore's murder. A third individual, 23-year-old Jordan Williams, a friend of Moore, was charged with tampering with evidence and making false statements to the police for allegedly removing items from the initial crime scene.
