COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) - The suspect charged in an April 2022 double murder on Fort Benning Road appeared in Recorder's Court Friday morning.
Elijah Smith, age 20, is charged with two counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during a commission of a crime.
The April 10, 2022 shooting took the lives of Marque Humber and Nakevius Petty. Police testified that the shooting occurred at a permitted block party on Fort Benning road.
During testimony, police said 911 calls were made reporting the shooting, but none of the callers identified Smith as the shooter. However, police say in their opinion, a social media video shows Smith is the shooter.
Homicide Sergeant Thomas Hill says Smith was in a video with a group of 5 or 6 other individuals. However, police testify while questioning Smith, the suspect identified himself in the video by identifying his clothing at the time the video was taken.
Defense Attorney William Kendrick is representing Smith and asked several questions about witnesses, the firearms recovered and the video police are claiming identifies Smith as the shooter.
Police are saying the shooting is gang related, but Kendrick says it's too early to tell.
Police testimony shared there are 10 shell cases from the scene that have been sent to the GBI for examination, in addition to the firearms also found.
Hill says there were no witnesses when Columbus Police Department arrived on scene, but there are half a dozen witnesses who gave their name and information in addition to the 10 to 12 anonymous tips they received.
Hill said all the witnesses and tips pointed to Smith as the shooter.
0 Comments