In the early morning hours of a spring day in Macon, Georgia, the life of 30-year-old LaSmockie Fountain was tragically cut short. On May 23, 2015, Fountain was found in the yard of her grandmother's home on Case Street, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound to the head. The devastating discovery was made by her grandmother, who had heard two gunshots around 5:30 a.m.
Fountain, a Black female, had recently returned to Macon from out of town and was staying with a relative at the time of her death.
The investigation into her death quickly centered on her 38-year-old boyfriend, Derrick Khunta Booze, who was identified as a person of interest. The relationship had a history of violence, and Booze had several active warrants for his arrest, including for aggravated assault/family violence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and home invasion. Fountain's family described Booze as being 'very obsessed with her,' and believed that if he couldn't have her, no one could. In the weeks leading up to her death, Booze had allegedly threatened Fountain with a gun on at least two separate occasions.
The search for Derrick Booze ended two days after Fountain's murder. He was found deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, bringing a grim conclusion to the case. The Bibb County Sheriff stated that Booze was the only suspect in Fountain's death. In the years following her tragic death, LaSmockie Fountain's family has worked to keep her memory alive and raise awareness about domestic violence through walks and other community events, hoping to prevent similar tragedies from befalling others.
