In the early hours of March 9, 2025, a night that should have been filled with celebration and youthful joy took a tragic turn in Powder Springs, Georgia. Ashton Dior Noah Hornsby, a 17-year-old African American male from Smyrna, was fatally shot following an after-prom party. The incident unfolded in the parking lot of the West Cobb Plaza on New Macland Road shortly after midnight, shattering the post-prom atmosphere with violence. Emergency responders discovered Ashton with multiple gunshot wounds to his chest. He was rushed to Cobb Wellstar Hospital, but his injuries proved to be too severe, and he was pronounced dead.
The investigation into Ashton's death quickly led police to a suspect: 18-year-old Carlos Diaz Jr., also from Smyrna. Diaz was arrested and faced a litany of serious charges, including malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. According to arrest warrants, Diaz told investigators that he believed Ashton intended to confront him over a previous incident. Diaz claimed that Ashton followed him and lifted his shirt. Despite admitting that he did not see a weapon, Diaz fired his gun twice, stating he knew Hornsby to carry firearms. Warrants, however, indicated that Hornsby was unarmed.
The tragic death of Ashton, a former student at Campbell High School, sent ripples of grief through the community. The school's principal, Dr. Vanessa Watkins, expressed her sorrow in a letter to parents, acknowledging the profound impact of the loss on the student body and making counseling services available. In April 2025, a Cobb County grand jury indicted Carlos Diaz on the charges brought against him, moving the case forward through the legal system. Diaz was booked into the Cobb County jail and held without bond.
