In the early hours of a Tuesday in Augusta, Georgia, the life of 22-year-old Malik Anthony Miles, an African American male, was tragically cut short. On April 12, 2016, on Idlewild Drive, Miles was found with a single gunshot wound to his left side. He was quickly transported to Augusta University Medical Center, but despite medical efforts, he was pronounced dead at 2:17 a.m.
Friends of Miles said he had recently relocated to the Augusta area from Philadelphia and was working at the El Americano restaurant in Evans.
The investigation into the shooting led to the swift apprehension of two suspects: 34-year-old Brodrick Kyle Merritt and 18-year-old Jaqwon Tyree Baker. Both men were charged with murder and weapon possession. Merritt, who had a prior criminal record, faced an additional charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Baker was also charged with armed robbery for allegedly stealing Miles's cell phone during the incident.
In the ensuing legal process, Brodrick Kyle Merritt pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He received a sentence of five years in prison followed by 15 years of probation. Having already served six years in jail awaiting trial, he had effectively completed his prison term and began his probation. Jaqwon Tyree Baker went to trial in 2017 and was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and theft, resulting in a 26-year prison sentence.
