On a Wednesday morning in November 2016, the body of 23-year-old Jabari Pettway was discovered lying in the grass next to a private driveway in an unincorporated area of Snellville, Georgia. A worker who was patrolling a nearby pasture found Pettway on November 2nd and, after finding him unresponsive, contacted the authorities. An investigation revealed that the young male from Duluth had died from multiple gunshot wounds.
Initially, investigators had no suspects or a clear motive for
the killing. A close friend of Pettway suggested that robbery could have been a motive, as he was known for having brand-name clothing and was studying to become a barber. The case progressed when Pettway's stolen Dodge Avenger was found in Atlanta days later, heavily damaged by fire. This discovery eventually led police to a suspect who, it turned out, was an acquaintance of the victim.
Police arrested 25-year-old Melvin Kent Roberts Jr. of Lawrenceville in connection with the murder. Pettway's family stated that the two had known each other and were considered friends. Roberts was subsequently charged with a litany of offenses, including murder, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, theft by taking of a motor vehicle, and parole and probation violations. He was held at the Gwinnett County Jail without bond.
In May of 2018, following a weeklong trial, a jury found Melvin Roberts guilty of the murder of Jabari Pettway, as well as aggravated assault and theft. During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Roberts killed Pettway, stole his car, and then burned it in southwest Atlanta. Roberts, who chose not to testify, had outbursts during the proceedings, claiming the evidence was fabricated and that there was a conspiracy against him. Following his conviction, he faced a sentence of life in prison, with or without the possibility of parole, as prosecutors had not sought the death penalty.
