DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston recently announced a verdict in a grave case of murder at an unincorporated Decatur gas station. A jury has convicted two men, Quavion Hale, 20, and Stantavis Reese, 18, in connection with the January 10, 2023 murder of 20-year-old Akhir Muhammad. The convictions include charges of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony, as reported on Friday.
The investigation disclosed that Muhammad and a friend had stopped to quickly pick up items at the gas station located in the 5000 block of Snapfinger Woods Drive. Leaving the store, Muhammad was confronted and, before being able to even react, shot multiple times in the back by Hale and Reese, who then fled the scene. Reese reportedly came back to gather Muhammad’s gun and Hale’s backpack, further incriminating themselves in this tragic incident.
As part of the investigation, detailed surveillance footage captured both Hale and Reese's movements around the gas station. It showed Hale with the same distinctive backpack and shoes he later flaunted on social media, while Reese was captured clearly inside the store just minutes before the murder took place. Hale was arrested on March 23, 2023, followed by the arrest of Reese on December 8, 2023, both seemingly without incident.
During the trial, which was overseen by DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams, the evidence presented against the accused was compelling enough to safely lead the jury to their guilty verdicts. The details of the case were rigorously presented by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Atakora, alongside Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Peterson, District Attorney Investigator Tia Johnson, and Victim Advocate Christy Palmer. The date has been set for the sentencing of Hale and Reese, which is on Tuesday, May 6 at 9 a.m.
