In the early hours of April 24, 2016, Reginald Coicou, a 24-year-old man, was fatally shot in Atlanta, Georgia. His body was discovered inside a Pontiac Bonneville parked near a Burger King on Donald Lee Hollowell Parkway. Coicou, who worked as a bouncer at the nearby Blue Flame Lounge and had a passion for bodybuilding, was found to have been shot six times, with five wounds to his torso and one to his head.
Another man, 22-year-old Quincy Wytche, was found with gunshot wounds in an adjacent parking lot and died after being transported to the hospital.
The investigation into the double homicide initially suggested a robbery motive, as Coicou was known to carry significant amounts of cash from his job. Investigators found a. 45 caliber revolver in Coicou's possession. A key piece of evidence discovered at the scene was a single flip-flop, which witnesses linked to a man seen fleeing the area. Surveillance footage from the Burger King and a nearby gas station captured the incident, providing crucial leads for law enforcement.
The investigation took a significant turn when authorities identified Nicholas Benton as the primary suspect. It was revealed that the fatal shooting was the result of a robbery disguised as a drug deal. Investigators determined that Wytche was an alleged accomplice of Benton in the plan to rob Coicou. However, during the commission of the crime, Benton not only shot and killed Coicou but also accidentally shot his accomplice, Wytche. Another individual, Carlton Redding, the driver of the vehicle, fled the scene on foot and was apprehended by police on Interstate 285.
Nicholas Benton was arrested on June 6, 2016. On July 14, 2017, a jury found Benton guilty of multiple charges, including murder, felony murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison for his role in the deaths of Reginald Coicou and Quincy Wytche.
