In the early morning hours of August 1, 2016, the bodies of 17-year-old Natalie Henderson and 17-year-old Carter Davis were discovered by a delivery driver behind a Publix grocery store in Roswell, Georgia. Both teenagers were rising high school seniors and were found with single gunshot wounds to the head. Henderson was a student at Roswell High School, where she was a member of the color guard, while Davis was a student at River Ridge High School and played on the football and lacrosse
teams.
The investigation quickly led police to 20-year-old Jeffrey A. Hazelwood. Surveillance footage and evidence, including the use of Henderson's credit card after the killings, pointed to Hazelwood as the primary suspect. He was arrested two days after the discovery of the victims. Hazelwood, who had a history of mental illness, confessed to the murders. He told investigators that he had followed the teenagers behind the grocery store out of curiosity.
According to his confession, Hazelwood watched Henderson and Davis in her car before he approached them. He admitted to shooting Carter Davis in the head first. He then sexually assaulted Natalie Henderson before shooting her in the head as well. Autopsy reports later revealed that Henderson was found nude and her body appeared to have been posed. Both victims also had possible burn marks on their toes.
Hazelwood was charged with two counts of murder, as well as aggravated assault, theft, and financial transaction card fraud. In May 2017, Jeffrey Hazelwood pleaded guilty but mentally ill to the murders of Natalie Henderson and Carter Davis. By accepting the negotiated plea, he avoided a trial where he could have faced the death penalty. He was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences in prison without the possibility of parole.
