On what should have been a day of celebration, the life of 16-year-old Dayton Willis was cut tragically short. The young man, a male, was found deceased in the early morning hours of August 31, 2023, in Columbus, Georgia, just one day after his sixteenth birthday. He was discovered in his aunt's car in front of a baseball field at Double Church Park on Double Churches Road, having sustained multiple gunshot wounds.
Emergency responders were unable to revive him, and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:36 A.M. Authorities reported that a Colt. 38 caliber special revolver was found in his lap.
The Columbus Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit immediately launched a homicide investigation. Their efforts led to the identification of two suspects. The first, 15-year-old Akiraon Reed, was arrested in November 2023. He faced charges of murder, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and possession of a firearm by someone under 18. The second suspect, 20-year-old Andrew Crowell, was arrested in Harris County on October 17, 2024. He was subsequently extradited back to Muscogee County to face charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.
The trial for both Andrew Crowell and Akiraon Reed took place, with testimony from over 20 witnesses. During the proceedings, prosecutors presented evidence suggesting Reed had set up the victim and that Crowell was the shooter. This included text messages between the two defendants prior to the incident and surveillance video from the night of the shooting. Defense attorneys argued their clients were innocent. They claimed the victim had a ski mask and a gun near his lap and that he had contacted Reed first on the night of his death.
In March 2026, a Columbus jury reached a verdict after reviewing the evidence, which included re-watching the surveillance footage and a music video showing the defendants with guns. Both Crowell and Reed were found guilty of felony murder. Crowell was convicted on all counts, including malice murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Reed was found guilty on all charges except for malice murder; a juror later indicated they did not believe Reed had the intent to kill. Sentencing for both men was scheduled for April 1st, where they face the possibility of life in prison with or without parole.
