On a spring evening in Savannah, Georgia, the life of a young man was tragically ended by gunfire. Rasheen M. Adkins, a 22-year-old Black male, was shot on April 5, 2025, in the 800 block of Tatem Street. The Savannah Police Department responded to the area around 10:45 p.m. after receiving reports of gunshots. When they arrived, officers found Adkins suffering from at least one gunshot wound. He succumbed to his injuries and died overnight.
Investigators immediately began working the case, interviewing several witnesses and collecting evidence from the scene. For months, the investigation continued without an arrest, leaving the community searching for answers in the wake of the deadly violence.
A significant development occurred nearly three months later when a suspect, 30-year-old Nyquan Small, turned himself in to authorities on July 22, 2025. Police arrested Small and charged him with aggravated assault and felony murder in connection with Adkins's death.
In October 2025, a Chatham County grand jury formally indicted Small on charges of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and tampering with evidence. The indictment alleged that Small had caused Adkins's death "with malice aforethought" by shooting him and had later concealed the firearm.
Three other individuals were also charged in connection with the case. Andrew Leroy Barnwell, 24, Shantea Bright, 50, and Harry Emanuel Bright, 24, all faced charges for tampering with evidence. Small remained the only person charged with murder.
Nyquan Small’s murder trial began in Chatham County Superior Court in early April 2026, almost exactly one year after the shooting. After hearing the evidence presented, a jury found Small not guilty of the murder of Rasheen Adkins.
Following the acquittal in April 2026, the murder of Rasheen Adkins remains unsolved. Authorities ask that anyone with information contact CrimeStoppers at 912-234-2020 or submit an anonymous tip through the Savannah Police Department's mobile app.
