In the early morning hours of October 26, a 21-year-old woman named Kinaya Hightower was out celebrating her birthday with friends at a car meet-up in Conley, Georgia. The gathering was taking place at an Exxon gas station on Moreland Avenue. Tragically, what should have been a joyous occasion turned into a scene of violence when a dispute between two groups erupted into a shootout. Kinaya, an innocent bystander, was caught in the crossfire and fatally wounded. The suspects involved in the shooting fled the scene before law enforcement arrived.
The DeKalb County Police began an investigation into the senseless killing. In the weeks that followed, they appealed to the public for assistance, releasing surveillance photos of several persons of interest. One of the images showed an individual wearing a 'Chucky' mask while holding a gun. Investigators urged anyone who was at the car meet-up, had video footage, or could identify the people in the photos to come forward with information.
A break in the case came in early January 2026, when authorities arrested 22-year-old Gregory Dennis of Norcross in connection with Hightower's death. The arrest was a collaborative effort involving the DeKalb and Gwinnett County Sheriff's Offices and the U.S. Marshals Service. Dennis was taken into custody at a Gwinnett County hospital and subsequently faced charges of murder and aggravated assault. He was booked into the Gwinnett County Jail and was awaiting transfer to DeKalb County to stand trial. It remains unclear if police expect to make any additional arrests in the case.
