In the early hours of a spring day in south Fulton County, Georgia, a tragic event unfolded that cut short the life of a young man. Anthony Bowers, a 21-year-old Black / African American male, was fatally shot on March 22, 2014, in a violent encounter that also left his friend critically injured. The incident occurred inside a car at the intersection of Old Bill Cook Road and Godby Road.
Police were called to the scene following a report of a person shot and discovered two victims inside
the vehicle. Anthony Bowers was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other occupant, 21-year-old Demetrius Cosby, was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital in critical condition. The investigation into the shooting quickly led to an arrest. Forty-two-year-old James Hightower was taken into custody in connection with the double shooting.
The motive behind the shooting was determined to be a drug deal gone wrong. According to the Fulton County District Attorney's Office, Bowers and Cosby were waiting in their vehicle when Hightower approached them. After Bowers handed Hightower what was believed to be crack-cocaine, Hightower opened fire into the car with a 9mm handgun. Bowers attempted to drive away during the assault but was struck multiple times, causing him to crash the car into a nearby tree. Even after the crash, Hightower continued to fire into the vehicle, severely injuring Cosby, who was rendered a paraplegic as a result of the attack. The two passengers had reportedly tried to "play dead" to no avail.
In February 2016, a jury took only 27 minutes to convict James Hightower for the murder of Anthony Bowers. In addition to the murder conviction, Hightower was also found guilty of three counts of aggravated assault, aggravated battery, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 45 years.
