In the late hours of a Friday evening in Norcross, Georgia, 36-year-old Afolabi Odifa, a Black male taxi driver, was found slumped over the wheel of his cab, the engine still running. Residents of the Spring Lakes Apartments on Chase Common Drive initially mistook him for someone who was intoxicated or asleep. It wasn't until hours later that the grim reality was discovered; Odifa had been shot in the head. The Gwinnett County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed he died from a gunshot wound to the back of his head. The investigation into his death was turned over to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Originally from Nigeria, Odifa had become a U.S. citizen the previous year and had only been driving a taxi for three months. He and his wife had moved to the United States just six months prior with their infant son. On the night of his death, Odifa had left for a fare that was just a short distance from his home and never returned.
The investigation led to the arrests of two individuals. The first suspect, 23-year-old Adam Matthew Pfeifer, was arrested and charged with murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and participation in criminal gang activity. A second suspect, 17-year-old Cameron Hollis, was also taken into custody and faced charges of murder, armed robbery, and participation in criminal gang activity.
In May 2015, after a six-day trial and over two days of deliberation, a jury found Cameron Hollis, then 18, guilty of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was found not guilty of murder, and the jury could not reach a verdict on a felony murder charge. Hollis received the maximum sentence of 25 years in prison for his role in the death of Afolabi Odifa. Prosecutors believed that Odifa had picked up Hollis and Pfeifer from a local mall, and they robbed and shot him in the apartment complex. During police interviews, Hollis alleged that Pfeifer was the one who shot Odifa. Adam Matthew Pfeifer was still awaiting trial on charges including murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery.
