CLASSIC CITY NEWS

By Joe Johnson Recently filed court documents describe the cold-blooded behavior of a man accused of murdering two people in downtown Athens three months ago. According to a homicide detective’s sworn affidavit, early in the morning of March 14th Mark Anthony Desousa walked up to Dylan Bentley in a parking lot lot off North Jackson Street and shot him in the back of his head. The bullet passed through the victim and struck Christopher Skinner in the eye. DeSousa then shot a

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court judge this week denied a request for bail by a man who killed two people and injured a third in downtown Athens Following a hearing on Wednesday, Judge H. Patrick Haggard denied bail to 22-year old Mark Anthony DeSousa on grounds that he was a flight risk and posed a significant danger to the community. In custody since March, DeSousa is facing murder charges for fatally shooting Dylan Bentley and Clayton Adams in a parking lot off North Jackso

By Joe Johnson A member of an Athens gang has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in a 2024 drive-by shooting that killed a child at the Hallmark Estates mobile home park. Julian Omar Cubillos, a member of the Everybody Eats street gang last week pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter for his involvement in the shooting that took the life of 3-year-old Kyron Zarco Smith. Cubillos had been in a car with three other EBE gangsters when they opened fire on a riv

By Joe Johnson An Athens-Clarke County grand jury this week returned a 10-count indictment against a man accused of murdering two people and injuring a third during a shooting in downtown Athens last March. Mark Anthony Desousa, 22, of Jefferson, was charged with two counts each of malice and felony murder, and three counts each of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm in the commission of a crime, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court on Tuesday. DeSou

By Joe Johnson The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has identified the man killed this month during a confrontation with police in Athens as 33-year-old Joe Baythavong.of Hoschton. The incident happened on May 12 in the 1000 block of Hull Road when Athens police officers responded to reports of a man shooting a gun. Upon arrival they encountered Baythavong brandishing the weapon and ordered him to put it down, according to the GBI. “(Baythavong) then pointed the gun to his he

By Joe Johnson An attorney representing a man accused of murdering two people in downtown Athens has filed a motion that seeks to have his client released from jail on bail. Mark Anthony DeSousa is facing murder charges for fatally shooting Dylan Bentley and Clayton Adams last March in a parking lot off North Jackson Street. A third victim, Landon Skinner, survived being shot in the face. According to court filings, Bentley was killed execution style when Desousa walked up fr

Cassidy By Joe Johnson A 24-year-old Madison County man was charged with murder this week after he fatally shot his roommate at their home in Comer. According to a sheriff’s office incident report, on the morning of May 18th Jacob Richard Allen Cassidy shot 46-year-.old Billy Jack Swafford during an argument in their home on Osley Mill Road. The victim reportedly had been shot multiple times by Cassidy, who then fled from the scene. When located, Cassidy claimed that he had

By Joe Johnson On the afternoon of May 10th Sharod Pontes Greene called 911 to say that he had just shot his girlfriend. When officers arrived at the man’s home at Arbor Ridge apartments they found 34-year-old Latisha Andrews dead from gunshot wounds to her chest and head, according to a police report released today. Police have not released a motive for the shooting, but jail records indicate that the 52-year-.old killer was charged under the Georgia Family Violence Act with

By Joe Johnson In the early morning of May 8th, Deandre and Jamarcus Grisson west to pick up their sister from her job at Pilgrim’s Pride. When they got there Jamaya Grisson climbed into the car to join her brothers and Makai Tucker, her boyfriend who went along for the ride. Jakel Arnold then arrived in a car with his cousin and upon getting out he tried talking to Jamaya, but she refused to speak with him. When he persisted the brothers intervened and an argument broke out

By Joe Johnson A woman was fatally shot Sunday afternoon in what police said was the second murder in Athens within two days. Latisha Andrews, 34, was killed during a domestic violence incident at the Arbor Ridge apartment complex on Chateau Terrace and 52-year-.old Sharod Pontes Greene of the same address was charged with her murder. Greene Two days earlier, 17-year-old Deandre Grisson was killed and his sister was wounded in a double shooting on Rowe Road. Jakel Arnold, 22,

By Joe Johnson An Athens teenager died and his sister is hospitalized following a double shooting early Friday morning. The gunman was quickly identified by police and arrested. Athens-Clarke County police responded to reports of gunfire in the area of Rowe Road at approximately 5:49 am. Almost simultaneously, the hospital reported that two victims had arrived with gunshot wounds. Deandre Grisson, 17, died, and 18-year-old Jamya Grisson was treated for non- life threatening i

Elder (r) and Smith The following was released today by the Georgia Attorney General’s Office Defendants sentenced to life in prison ATHENS, GA – Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr today announced that Shamon Elder, Jr. and Jaquavious Smith have been convicted for the murder of 19-year-old Brynarius Smith, who was shot and killed on April 16, 2022, while sitting on his front porch at Nellie B. Homes in Athens. Both men were found guilty by an Athens-Clarke County Jury on May

By Joe Johnson A Superior Court jury in Athens has convicted a pair of street gang members for the murder of a rival in the Nellie B community four years ago. Brynarius Smith, 19, was shot to death by a trio of gunmen in April 2022 while sitting in front of his home on Cone Drive. Police identified three suspects, two of whom were arrested in April 2024: Ja ‘Quavious Smith and Shamon Elder, both affiliated with the Red Tape Gang. The victim had belonged to a rival gang. They

By Joe Johnson A man who was arrested last year for the alleged murder of his girlfriend has been indicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter. Kendall Elon Boone, 29, was charged with voluntary manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon,making a false statement, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to the indictment filed in Superior Court on Monday. The grand jury did not indict him for malice murder, felony murder, or ag

By Joe Johnson His obituary provides a glimpse at the life that 42-year-old Rodney Alford had before it was ended this month in an Athens homeless camp. He was found shot to death on April 17th in the wooded encampment near Danielsville and Hull roads and another homeless man has been “ with his murder. According to the obituary, Alford had been born in Demorest and he went on to be a devoted son, father, brother, and “steadfast member of his community,” “Rodney lived a life

By Joe Johnson The man who was charged on Friday with murdering an Athens homeless camp resident is on probation for a first-degree arson conviction in Fulton County, Joshua Robert White, 30, was charged with murder for the death of 42-year-old Rodney Alford in a homeless camp near Danielsville and Hull roads, Police believe that Alfred had been fatally shot about a week ago and an officer found his body in a tent while looking for a suspect in an unrelated case. A detective

By Joe Johnson Athens police today announced that have charged a suspect with murder for a recent death in a homeless camp. Joshua Robert White, 30, was charged today with aggravated assault and felony murder for the death of 42-year-old Rodney Alford, whose body was found on April 17th at a homeless camp near Danielsville and Hull roads, White had been in custody on a firearms charge since April 19th, when booked into the county jail with the Bigger Vision shelter on North

Heather is informed that Jeremy had died By Joe Johnson Heather Nicole McCall in December pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter for the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Jeremy Howard at her home on Nowhere lRoad in 2024. She was sentenced to four years in prison and six on probation. Heather in prison McCall and Howard had formerly been in a romantic relationship that involved domestic violence. After the shooting McCall explained to police that her landlord had told Howar

McCall‘s prison photo By Joe Johnson Heather Nicole McCall in December pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Jeremy Howard at her home on Nowhere lRoad in 2024. She was sentenced to four years in prison and six on probation. McCall and Howard had formerly been in a romantic relationship that involved domestic violence. After the shooting McCall explained to police that her landlord had told Howard to stay away because he had previously

I wrote this for the ABH back in 2019 on the 10th anniversary of one of the most horrific incidents in Athens history By Joe Johnson The sun shone bright over Athens on April 25, 2009. An especially festive atmosphere pervaded the downtown area as thousands gathered for the annual Twilight Criterium nighttime bicycle race. It was also a beautiful day for the annual picnic for the Town & Gown Players, a close-knit local theater group. On the last Saturday of each April, member