In the late hours of a September evening in Clarksville, Tennessee, the life of 18-year-old Carlos LaGerald Wills was tragically cut short. On September 10, 2024, the young man from Lebanon, Tennessee, was discovered with a severe gunshot wound to his head in the vicinity of Ash Ridge Drive, near a Dollar General parking lot. Emergency services rushed him first to Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville and then to Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was placed on life support.
Despite the efforts of medical professionals, Carlos Wills succumbed to his injuries and passed away on September 11, 2024.
The investigation into the shooting revealed a grim sequence of events that unfolded within the confines of a vehicle. Wills had been a passenger in a car with five other individuals. Among them was 20-year-old Za'Kwon Jaterrion Holliday of Clarksville. According to witness statements, Holliday, who was allegedly under the influence of marijuana and nitrous oxide, brandished a firearm and, without any apparent provocation, shot Wills in the head. The sudden violence sparked a chaotic struggle for the weapon among the terrified passengers. In the midst of the turmoil, two individuals managed to escape the vehicle and desperately sought help from residents nearby. The driver continued to 110 Ash Ridge Drive, where the remaining occupants, including the gravely wounded Wills and the alleged shooter, exited the car.
Authorities quickly identified Za'Kwon Jaterrion Holliday as the primary suspect in the senseless killing. A collaborative effort between the Clarksville Police Department, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and the Metro Nashville Police Department led to his apprehension during a traffic stop in Nashville on September 13, 2024. Holliday was subsequently charged with criminal homicide. Law enforcement officials reassured the public that this was an isolated incident and there was no further threat to the community. As the investigation progressed, the Clarksville Police Department also expressed their interest in speaking with another individual, 19-year-old Davontay Tyrek Spencer, who was believed to have been present during the shooting. Warrants were later issued for Spencer, charging him with accessory after the fact, theft of a car, and driving on a suspended license.
