In the warm, early morning hours of a Savannah, Georgia summer, the life of 22-year-old Joshua J. Lewis was tragically cut short. On Sunday, July 24, 2016, a burst of gunfire erupted at the Live Oak Apartments on Waters Avenue, leaving a scene of chaos and violence. When police arrived at approximately 2:30 a.m., they discovered Lewis and another man, George Thorpe, suffering from gunshot wounds.
Both were rushed to Memorial University Medical Center for treatment.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, Joshua J. Lewis succumbed to his injuries. A third victim, Terrell Bonds, also arrived at the hospital in a private vehicle with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Investigators determined that the three men were outside an apartment when they were shot in what they believed was not a random act of violence. The shooting plunged a community into mourning and left a family grappling with a sudden and devastating loss.
In the wake of the shooting, the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department launched an intensive investigation. Their efforts led to the arrest of 18-year-old Xavier D’Ante Lovett in connection with the triple shooting that claimed Lewis's life. Lovett was subsequently charged with murder for his alleged role in the incident.
Following his arrest, Xavier D’Ante Lovett faced the judicial process. He was indicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault. After a trial where evidence was presented and testimonies were heard, a jury found Lovett guilty of felony murder and aggravated assault. The court sentenced him to life in prison, bringing a measure of legal closure to the family of Joshua J. Lewis and the community affected by this senseless act of violence.
