In the fading daylight of an early spring evening in Augusta, Georgia, 35-year-old Michael Philip Hanson, a self-employed contractor and devoted family man, was fatally shot on April 5, 2014. The incident that cut short the life of the husband and father of three unfolded at the Southgate Shopping Center on Gordon Highway, a place that would become the backdrop for a senseless act of violence.
Hanson, a native of Augusta, was known as a dedicated family man who enjoyed fishing and spending time with his children.
The investigation into Hanson's death led to the identification and arrest of two suspects: Demarcus Clark and Killeon Cooper. The motive behind the shooting was determined to be a robbery. During the subsequent trial, harrowing details of Hanson's final moments were presented. Eyewitness testimony and evidence revealed that Clark and Cooper had targeted Hanson in a robbery attempt that escalated to murder.
The legal proceedings brought a measure of justice for Michael Hanson's family. In November 2016, a Richmond County Superior Court jury found Demarcus Clark guilty of murder, armed robbery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus an additional 25 years. Clark was identified as the one who fired the fatal shot.
Killeon Cooper, the second suspect involved in the deadly robbery, also faced justice for his role in the crime. In April 2017, Cooper was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison. This concluded the legal battle that followed the tragic and untimely death of Michael Hanson, leaving a community to mourn the loss of a man remembered for his love for his family.
