In the early morning hours of July 9, 2015, the life of Ashley Chantel Oglesby, a 16-year-old African American female, was tragically cut short in her Atlanta, Georgia home. A promising student at Maynard Jackson High School with dreams of becoming a pediatrician, Ashley was known for her excellent grades and bright future. On that Thursday morning, at approximately 7 a.m., she was shot multiple times with a semiautomatic pistol as she slept in her bed in the family's apartment at The Villages
of East Lake.
The person who pulled the trigger was her 27-year-old brother, Marquavis Jamal Oglesby. The horrific event was witnessed by their mother, who was in the home at the time, along with another relative. Despite being rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital, Ashley succumbed to her injuries. When police arrived at the gated complex on Greenhaven Drive, Marquavis was still at the scene and surrendered peacefully. He was taken into custody and subsequently booked into the DeKalb County jail on murder charges.
In the aftermath of the shooting, a clear motive was not immediately apparent to investigators. However, family members provided some insight into Marquavis's state of mind leading up to the incident. His aunt, Sherry Morton, revealed that he had been dealing with psychiatric problems and had been 'talking out of his head.' She had urged him to seek medical help just the day before the tragedy. Family members believed he may have been experiencing a mental breakdown, as he and his sister were very close, and he reportedly 'cherished the ground she walked on.' His aunt recounted that after the shooting, their mother said Marquavis claimed someone had been chasing and shooting at him, and he had shot back.
Marquavis Oglesby was held without bond following his arrest on the murder charge. The family, while grieving the profound loss of Ashley, was also left to grapple with the devastating consequences of what they believed to be a mental health crisis. The case highlighted the complexities of mental illness and its potential for catastrophic outcomes.
