In the early morning hours of May 2, 2023, the life of 36-year-old DeeNay Munford was tragically cut short in a hail of gunfire at a residence on Cedar Park Trail in Stone Mountain, Georgia. The incident, which unfolded around 3 a.m., was a quadruple shooting that also claimed the life of 36-year-old Twayne Worthy. Munford, a devoted father and entrepreneur who had recently co-founded a trucking company with his parents, was pronounced dead at the scene.
His family, primarily based in upstate New York, remembered him as a dedicated family man focused on building a legacy for his children.
The shooting, which DeKalb County Police believe to be drug-related, also left two other men injured. Brandon Johnson, 32, was discovered at the scene with a gunshot wound and transported to a local hospital. Hours later, around 11 a.m., a fourth individual, 27-year-old Jamal Cook, arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds to his legs. The neighborhood, described by residents as an area where gunshots were not uncommon, was shaken by the violence that morning. One neighbor recounted being startled from sleep by the sound of initial gunshots, followed by a volley of ten more.
The investigation into the deadly shooting led to the arrests of the two surviving men. Brandon Johnson was charged with felony murder in connection with the incident. Jamal Cook also faces serious charges, including two counts of felony murder and one count of aggravated assault. The community was left to grapple with the persistent violence in their area, with some residents expressing a desire to move to a safer location.
