In the early morning hours of October 3, 2014, the life of 25-year-old Markese Deontea Mahone, an aspiring rapper from the Macon area also known as 'Pain City,' was tragically cut short at a Days Inn just outside the city limits of Hinesville, Georgia. He was found unresponsive and bleeding, the victim of a fatal gunshot wound.
The investigation into the death of the male victim quickly revealed the incident was a robbery gone awry. Authorities determined that Mahone had been targeted because he was rumored to be carrying a significant amount of cash. Three men were subsequently arrested in connection with the crime: James Stump, 20, of Hinesville, and Julous Mathenia, 22, and Derrick Harvey, 19, both from neighboring Long County. Initially, they were charged with criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, but these charges were expected to be elevated to murder.
According to court testimony, the plan was for Harvey and Stump to commit the robbery while Mathenia served as the getaway driver. Mathenia waited in the car as the other two proceeded towards the hotel with the intention of robbing someone in a specific room. When no one answered the door, they encountered Mahone on a stairwell, apparently talking on his phone. Harvey, armed with a shotgun, approached Mahone and demanded to know what he had. When Mahone attempted to flee down the stairs, Harvey fired the shotgun over the railing, striking Mahone in his left shoulder and chest. The blast caused severe damage to his heart, arteries, and lungs, leading to his death.
All three suspects faced the consequences of their actions. Julous Mathenia and James Stump entered into plea agreements. Mathenia was sentenced to five years in prison followed by five years of probation for criminal attempt to commit a felony. Stump received a sentence of ten years in prison and ten years of probation for voluntary manslaughter and criminal attempt to commit a felony. Both men testified against Derrick Harvey at his trial. In January, a jury found Derrick Harvey guilty of murder and criminal attempt to commit a felony. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, with an additional ten-year consecutive sentence.
