In the late afternoon of a Tuesday in Albany, Georgia, a sense of unease settled over the Cedar Avenue Apartments. On August 23, 2016, a black Honda Accord was parked in front of Building 6, and inside, a young man was slumped over in the passenger seat. He was unresponsive. When authorities arrived at approximately 3:54 p.m., they discovered that the 19-year-old male, identified as Darrius Keys of Camilla, had sustained a gunshot wound to his head. Emergency services quickly transported him to a local hospital, but his injury was too severe. He succumbed to his wound and was pronounced dead at 5:52 p.m.
The immediate aftermath of the discovery was a flurry of activity as multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Albany Police Department's Robbery/Homicide and Gang Units, descended upon the scene. Witnesses reported seeing two Black males with dreadlocks fleeing the area, heading south behind the apartment complex. The investigation swiftly led to an initial arrest. The day after the shooting, 19-year-old Brandon Hallman was taken into custody in Camilla by the Mitchell County Sheriff's Office and brought back to Albany. He was charged with tampering with evidence and being a party to a crime in connection with Keys' death.
Several months later, in November of the same year, investigators made another significant breakthrough in the case. A second suspect, 19-year-old DeAntre Butler, was apprehended at his home in Mitchell County. Detectives from the Albany Police Department traveled to Mitchell County to bring Butler back to Albany for further questioning regarding his suspected involvement in the shooting death of Darius Keys. The motive for the shooting was not immediately made public as the investigation by the Albany Police Department continued.
