In the late afternoon of February 10, 2024, the life of 25-year-old Cortavius Hassan Ates was tragically cut short in a burst of gunfire in Macon, Georgia. Responding to reports of shots fired near the intersection of Jeffersonville Road and Roseview Drive, Bibb County sheriff's deputies arrived to find a grim scene. Ates was discovered unresponsive in an overturned vehicle, having sustained at least one gunshot wound.
Despite the efforts of first responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene by the deputy coroner.
The investigation into the violent death of the young man quickly mobilized various units of the Bibb County Sheriff's Office, including the Gang Unit, Drug Unit, and Special Response Team, who worked in conjunction with other agencies like the U.S. Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Taskforce. Their collaborative efforts soon led to breakthroughs in the case.
The first arrest came on February 15, when 31-year-old Kendarrious Rayshun Cone was apprehended in neighboring Twiggs County. He was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and conspiracy to distribute marijuana. The very next day, a second suspect, 29-year-old Marion Antonio Curry, was taken into custody in Macon. Already wanted on a separate aggravated assault charge, Curry now faced additional charges of murder and criminal street gang activity in connection with Ates's death.
As the investigation continued to unfold, two more individuals were implicated. Shamar Tyrell Stewart, 19, was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and participation in criminal street gang activity. The fourth and final suspect, 19-year-old Frederick Lewis Hill Jr., was apprehended on March 20. He was taken into custody following the execution of a search and arrest warrant at a residence on Gray Highway. Hill faced the same serious charges as the others: murder, aggravated assault, and participation in criminal street gang activity. All four suspects were denied bond and booked into the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center as the investigation into the death of Cortavius Ates continued.
