Clayton County's year-long hunt for the third suspect in last year's fatal shooting of a 16-year-old at Lovejoy Park has ended with a teenager's surrender. The young fugitive, identified as Oliver Choyce, now 16, was wanted in connection to the murder of Jamarious Smith. Fox5 Atlanta reported that Choyce, who is now facing multiple charges including felony murder, turned himself in to authorities on March 25.
Upon his arrest, after investigators worked tirelessly to continuously track him down, Choyce was taken into custody. According to the Clayton County Sheriff's Office release obtained by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, arrests warrants for Choyce were issued on July 25, nearly a month following the fatal incident that occurred on June 29.
The tragedy unfolded in Lovejoy Park when Jamarious Smith was fatally shot multiple times. Smith, who had autism, was reportedly lured out of his home by individuals he believed were his friends. His mother, Navratilova Allen, stated in an interview with Fox5 Atlanta that her son was not involved in gang activity or gun violence. Two other teens, Kwame McGinty and Alex Hampton, were arrested in close succession after the event.
Details released by officials painted a grim picture of the final moments of Smith's life. "He had some guys on my porch that I did not approve of and I asked him to ask the guys to leave from in front of my door," Pumpkin Smith, Jamarious' mother, told Channel 2 Action News in a heartrending recollection of the day preceding her son's death. The following day, from a knock at the door emerged the harrowing news: her son had been murdered. In a move to possibly offer a sliver of peace, Clayton County Sheriff Levon Allen was said to have personally called Pumpkin Smith to inform her that the last of her son's alleged killers was now behind bars.
Currently held at the Martha Glaze Juvenile Facility, Choyce's charges include felony murder, aggravated assaults, and a weapons possession count. It's a grave list, representative of a justice system moving to respond to a heinous act. Meanwhile, the motive behind Smith's killing remains elusive, with authorities continuing their investigative efforts. As reported by the Fox5 Atlanta, Choyce's apprehension concludes a significant chapter in a case that has shaken the local community.
