In the early hours of Sunday, February 22, 2026, a dispute at a late-night gathering in Macon, Georgia, escalated into a tragedy that claimed the life of 25-year-old Jordan Gardner and two other young men. The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on Moseley Avenue, where law enforcement responded to multiple reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Mr. Gardner, along with Charleston Burnett, 25, and Willie Cain, 26, deceased at the scene from gunshot wounds.
This event was part of a series of violent shootings that weekend in Macon, which left a total of four people dead and nine others injured.
The investigation into the triple homicide led to the swift identification of a person of interest. Julius Milner, a 20-year-old from Macon, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force. Following his apprehension, Milner was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of aggravated assault in connection with the deaths of Gardner, Burnett, and Cain. He is currently being held at the Bibb County Jail without bond. Milner's arrest was the first to be made in the string of shootings that plagued the city over that weekend.
The loss of Jordan "JD" Duane Gardner Sr., a father of four sons, was deeply felt by his family and the wider community. In the wake of the tragedy, over 200 people gathered at Southwest High School for a balloon release to honor the memories of Gardner, Burnett, and Cain. The event served as both a memorial and a call to action against gun violence within the community. Family and friends remembered Jordan for the love he had for his children and the pain his absence would bring. A public viewing was held for him on March 4, 2026, followed by a celebration of his life the next day, with interment at Macon Memorial Park Cemetery.
