In the fall of 2016, a gathering of young people at a bonfire in Henry County, Georgia, ended in a horrific act of violence that claimed the lives of four individuals, including 18-year-old Matthew Hicks of McDonough. The male teenager and his friends were at a home on Moccasin Gap Road on the night of October 26, 2016, for a social event. It was a night that would unravel into a tragedy, leaving a community in shock and several families devastated.
During the bonfire, an argument is believed to have occurred. Two men, later identified as Jacob Cole Kosky, then 22, and Matthew Baker Jr., then 19, both from McDonough, left the party at one point and returned with firearms. What followed was a burst of gunfire that left a scene of carnage. When law enforcement arrived at the residence in the early hours of October 27, they discovered a gruesome scene. Hicks, along with 29-year-old Keith Gibson of Covington and 20-year-old Sophia Bullard of Thomaston, were found deceased inside the home, all having been shot. A fourth victim, 20-year-old Destiny Olinger of Jackson, was found critically injured and was transported to Grady Memorial Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries a few days later.
The investigation into the quadruple homicide quickly led to the identification of Kosky and Baker as the primary suspects. Within a day of the shootings, both men were arrested and charged with murder. The investigation also resulted in the arrests of three others: Jacob Williams, 18, Kayla Head, 21, and Brooke Knight, 19, who were charged with obstruction of a police investigation. The case drew significant media attention, and the Henry County District Attorney's Office announced its intention to seek the death penalty for both Kosky and Baker.
In February 2019, Jacob Cole Kosky appeared in court and pleaded guilty but mentally ill to four counts of malice murder and other related charges. By accepting the plea deal, Kosky avoided the death penalty and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus an additional five years. He confessed to being the shooter in the incident.
The legal journey for Matthew Baker Jr. took a different path. He maintained his innocence throughout the proceedings. After spending years in jail awaiting trial, his case finally went before a jury. In a significant turn of events, in May 2024, a Henry County jury found Matthew Baker Jr. not guilty on all charges related to the bonfire murders, including malice murder and aggravated assault. After his acquittal, Baker was released from custody.
