A sixth suspect has been arrested in connection with a deadly double shooting at a house party near Douglasville last year, officials said Thursday.
Michael Arthur Williams, 21, was arrested in Albany and brought back to Douglas County, where he was seen being escorted into the jail by Sheriff Tim Pounds late Wednesday evening.
“Sheriff Pounds commends his investigators and the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for their restless effort to prosecute this case and to leave no stone unturned,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Facebook. “This is still an active investigation, and it will not end until all those involved are in custody.”
Williams joins a suspect list that includes Tahkel Marquise Beverly-Smart, 21, Kingston Cottman, 17, Timothy Coleman, 18, and 17-year-old twins Chance McDowell and Chase McDowell. Beverly-Smart was taken into custody in April, while the four teenagers were arrested about a week after the shooting.
The incident took place March 4 at a “Sweet 16″ party that grew out of control and swelled beyond 100 teens. A confrontation just up the street from the home escalated into gunfire and nine people were shot, including two teens who were killed.
When deputies arrived, they found 15-year-old Samuel Moon and 14-year-old Ajanaye Hill dead at the scene, officials said. Moon was a sophomore at Lithia Springs High School, while Hill was a freshman at Douglas County High School. Pounds said the shooting was gang-related, and the victims were not the intended targets.
“These kids are so young to be committing such horrible crimes,” the sheriff said at the time.
While preparing for the trial for the other suspects, deputies said evidence was uncovered that allegedly connected Williams to the shooting. Investigators had previously suspected he was involved in some way, the sheriff’s office said. Soon after, warrants were obtained for his arrest.
Williams was located in Albany, where he attended school, according to deputies.
In addition to two counts of murder, Williams is facing two counts of participating in a street gang, 10 counts of aggravated battery and 11 counts of aggravated assault, the sheriff’s office said.
Beverly-Smart is also facing two counts of murder along with 40 counts of participating in gang activity, nine counts each of aggravated assault and aggravated battery, and 20 counts of being a party to a crime, according to jail records. The others are each facing two counts of mass murder, nine counts of aggravated assault and seven counts of aggravated battery. They remain in the Douglas jail without bond.
Williams was expected to have his first court hearing Thursday, the sheriff’s office said.
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