In the quiet community of Americus, Georgia, a tragedy unfolded that cut short the life of a young child. Five-year-old Peyton Brielle Roberts, a female, was fatally wounded on the evening of Saturday, February 8, 2025, when gunfire erupted in the 600 block of Eastview Circle. The shooting, which occurred around 8:30 p.m., resulted in multiple casualties. Peyton was rushed to Phoebe Sumter Hospital, but tragically, she succumbed to her injuries.
The violence of that evening also claimed the life of 19-year-old Jotavis Roshon Leverette, who was critically injured in the shooting and later died. A third individual was also wounded but was expected to survive. The circumstances that led to the shooting have not been publicly detailed by investigators. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation was called in to lead the inquiry into the double homicide.
In the days and weeks that followed, law enforcement made a series of arrests in connection with the deaths of Peyton Roberts and Jotavis Leverette. On February 10, 2025, 19-year-old Ricky Martin was taken into custody and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery. A few days later, on February 13, 20-year-old Ny'Tavion Smith was also arrested on charges of felony murder and aggravated assault. The investigation continued, leading to the arrest of a third suspect on March 7, 2025. Farley Arthur Watts III, age 17, was charged with felony murder, aggravated assault, and theft by receiving stolen property. All three suspects were booked into the Sumter County Jail as the investigation remained active and ongoing.
