In the late hours of a Sunday night in Sandersville, Georgia, tragedy struck, leaving two families grieving and a community in search of answers. On July 27, 2025, 19-year-old Elijah Alphonso Graham, a resident of Sandersville, was shot and killed in a violent incident that also claimed the life of 22-year-old Jonathan Carnez Burden.
The shooting occurred just before midnight at the Washington Manor Apartments located at 700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue.
When officers from the Sandersville Police Department and deputies from the Washington County Sheriff's Office arrived at the scene, they discovered a grim scene in the courtyard of the apartment complex. Jonathan Burden was found with a gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene. Graham, also suffering from gunshot wounds, was rushed to the Washington County Regional Medical Center for emergency treatment. Despite the efforts of medical personnel, he later succumbed to his injuries. One witness recalled hearing gunshots and then one of the victims going door-to-door, pleading for someone to call 911 before he collapsed.
The investigation into the double homicide was a collaborative effort involving the Sandersville Police Department, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Eastman office. Their collective work quickly led to the identification of a suspect: 36-year-old Damian Kennon Reaves, also known by the street name 'Knowledge,' a resident of Sandersville. Law enforcement officials issued a warrant for his arrest and cautioned the public that he should be considered armed and dangerous.
A nearly five-day manhunt for Reaves ensued, involving local authorities and the U.S. Marshals. The search came to an end on a Friday afternoon when Reaves was located and apprehended on Habersham Street in Milledgeville, Georgia. He was taken into custody in connection with the shooting deaths of the two young men. While an arrest has been made, the motive for the shooting and the circumstances leading up to the tragic event have not been publicly released by law enforcement as the investigation remains active and ongoing.
