On November 23, 2025, motel employee Yoqoubie Yarabough, a 29-year-old man was shot and killed while working at the Live In Lodge – Extended Stay on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro, Georgia. He had been on duty when he was asked to handle a problem involving one of the rooms, a situation that by all accounts began as a routine part of his job at the extended-stay motel and quickly turned into something far more dangerous.
According to his fiancé, Yarabough was sent to a guest's room to tell someone they needed to leave the property. When he got to the room, he explained to the man inside that he had to go, emphasizing that he was just doing his job and enforcing motel policy. The man reportedly refused to leave and the encounter escalated. At some point during this confrontation, the individual in the room opened fire, and Yarabough was struck by at least one bullet.
Jonesboro police officers responded to reports of gunfire at the motel and, upon arrival, found Yarabough suffering from the gunshot wound. Officers and other responders attempted life-saving measures at the scene, but despite their efforts he died there at the motel. His death left his fiancé and loved ones grieving a loss that unfolded in the very place where he had simply gone to work that day, trying to carry out his duties.
In the days that followed, Jonesboro Police announced that they were working in partnership with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, the Clayton County Police Department, and the Clayton County Sheriff's Office to identify and capture the person responsible. At this time, no arrests have been reported, and investigators have not publicly named or described a suspect. Authorities have stated that there is currently no evidence directly linking this killing to another homicide discovered hours later at the intersection of Fayetteville Road and Williamson Mill Road, though detectives continue to examine any possible connections as part of a broader investigation.
Law enforcement has appealed to the public for help, asking anyone who may have seen or heard something around the time of the shooting, or who has information about the motel guest involved, to come forward. Tip lines for the Jonesboro Police Department and Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta have been shared in hopes that someone will provide the lead needed to identify the shooter. As of the latest available information, the case remains open, with investigators still searching for the killer who gunned down Yoqoubie Yarabough while he was at work.
