On the evening of May 15, 2014, in Hazlehurst, Georgia, 64-year-old Mary L. Chambers, a Black female, was tragically killed in her own home. The residence, located on Harrison Nook, was abruptly besieged by gunfire at approximately 8:36 p.m., a violent intrusion that would claim two lives. Alongside Mary, her 41-year-old son, Javonnie Mondray Chambers, was also shot. Emergency services were dispatched to the scene, and both were transported for medical attention. Javonnie was pronounced dead upon arrival at Jeff Davis Hospital, while Mary succumbed to her injuries while en route to the Memorial Hospital Trauma Center in Savannah.
The initial investigation by the Hazlehurst Police Department and the Jeff Davis County Sheriff's Department quickly led to the involvement of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. Investigators believed the shooting was connected to the drug trade and that Javonnie was the intended target, with his mother being an unintended victim of the violent assault. The evidence at the scene suggested that at least two gunmen, both described as Black males, fired multiple shots into the home. At the time of the shooting, there were two small children, aged two and four, and another adult present in the residence who managed to find cover and were unharmed.
The investigation led to the identification of three suspects from Jacksonville, Florida: Robert Benjamin Brown, then 30, Brandon Dante Hardaman, then 26, and Gerald Wright. Evidence, including text messages and phone records, implicated Brown in the crime. It was determined that Brown and Hardaman traveled to Jeff Davis County on the day of the murders in a silver Dodge Charger, which was driven by Wright. During the assault, Javonnie Chambers was shot with a 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and Mary Chambers was killed by a. 308 rifle round as the house was sprayed with bullets.
In the years that followed, the wheels of justice turned. In January 2022, Gerald Wright faced a jury and was subsequently sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for his role in the murders. In May 2022, Robert Benjamin Brown accepted a plea agreement, pleading guilty to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. He was sentenced to 40 years, with 20 years to be served in prison. Due to being sentenced as a recidivist, he will be required to serve the full 20-year term. The case against the third co-defendant, Brandon Dante Hardaman, was placed on the dead docket.
