In the late hours of a January evening in Macon, Georgia, a life was cut short, leaving a family and community to grapple with the sudden loss. Tavores Maurice Pearson, a 44-year-old male, was found with a gunshot wound on January 15, 2024, in the 3200 block of Houston Avenue. The Bibb County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at 9:25 p.m. and discovered Pearson injured.
He was quickly transported to a nearby medical facility for treatment, but tragically, he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead by the deputy coroner on January 16, 2024.
Born in Macon on September 23, 1979, Tavores, known to many as 'Maurice,' was a man with deep roots in his community. He was a graduate of Southwest High School's class of 1998 and was remembered as an honor student and a member of the Beta Club and Future Business Leaders of America. A passionate athlete, he played baseball, basketball, and football throughout his school years. He was a father to a daughter and three sons. His life, however, was not without its struggles, as he had been battling Sarcoidosis since 2014, a condition that ultimately impacted his ability to work.
The investigation into Pearson's death led authorities to a suspect. On March 7, 2024, the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended 49-year-old Derrick Jermaine Berry in Kennesaw, Georgia. Berry, also a resident of Macon, was taken into custody and booked into the Bibb County Law Enforcement Center the following day. He now faces a charge of murder in connection with the death of Tavores Maurice Pearson. Berry is being held without bond as the legal proceedings against him commence.
