In the late hours of an April evening in Athens, Georgia, the life of 25-year-old Nigel Zachariah Turner was abruptly ended by gunfire. On April 17, 2024, at approximately 11:00 PM, officers from the Athens-Clarke County Police Department were dispatched to the 100 block of Huntington Road following reports of a shooting. Upon their arrival, they discovered Turner, a male resident of Athens, deceased at the scene from a gunshot wound.
Another individual who was with him at the time of the incident also sustained a gunshot wound but was transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The initial investigation suggested that Turner and the other victim were in a car outside of his home when they were ambushed by a shooter.
The investigation into the homicide continued for several months as detectives worked to identify those responsible for Turner's death. The case saw a significant development nearly a year later. On January 22, 2025, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department announced the arrests of two suspects in connection with the fatal shooting. Jutaraz Morton, a 24-year-old from Winder, and Timia Cobbs, a 25-year-old from Athens, were taken into custody. While police did not immediately disclose a motive for the shooting, public records indicated that Turner was a known member of a local street gang.
Following their arrests, both Morton and Cobbs faced serious charges. Jutaraz Morton was charged with malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, and three counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of certain felonies. Timia Cobbs was charged with malice murder, felony murder, and two counts of aggravated assault. The investigation remained ongoing, and authorities encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward to assist with the case.
