In a recent development in a Georgia murder case, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has made a second arrest related to the death of a Manchester High School student. Seventeen-year-old Qua'vion Jakwon Cooper has been arrested and charged with murder as a party to the crime in the shooting death of fellow student Brandon Smith, who was also 17 at the time of his death. Cooper, from Manchester and booked into the Meriwether County Jail, allegedly aided and abetted the previously-charged shooter, A’darious Williams, according to a GBI press release.
19-year-old A’darious Williams was initially charged with the murder following an investigation that began after Smith was reported missing and later found dead behind a home on 3rd Avenue in Manchester, Georgia. This case was picked up by GBI on December 10, 2023, after local police flagged the death as a potential murder. The investigation uncovered that the crime occurred after an argument between Williams and Smith on December 7, 2023. Williams is currently detained at the Meriwether County Jail and now Cooper faces charges linked to the same incident.
It remains an active and ongoing investigation, as GBI continues to piece together the events leading to Smith's tragic end. The agency is urging the public to come forward with any relevant information they may have. They have provided multiple channels for anonymous tips, including a dedicated phone line at 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), an online submission form, and the See Something, Send Something mobile app. Such contributions from the public could be crucial in bringing further clarity to this case.
Upon completion of the investigation, the GBI will pass the case file to the Meriwether County District Attorney’s Office, where the prosecution will take over. Anyone with potentially pertinent data is encouraged to get in touch with the regional investigative office at the Columbus Field Office.
