Two men accused in separate Clarkston homicides were hauled into custody Friday morning after a raid at a Decatur home, authorities said. DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office deputies, backed by the U.S. Marshals Service, arrested 22-year-old Robert Grady and 20-year-old Hamid Dawd Waykuur during the operation. Both are being held without bond at the DeKalb County Jail on malice murder charges after deputies moved in on a residence on Cedarbrook Drive in Decatur.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service, executed the arrest operation at the Cedarbrook Drive address, according to FOX 5 Atlanta. Investigators have not said whether Grady and Waykuur are connected in any way beyond being found at the same home, and deputies did not release additional details about the underlying warrants or specific evidence during the takedown.
Grady charged in November Brockett Road shooting
Investigators say Robert Grady, 22, is accused in a November 2025 shooting outside an adult entertainment club in the 1300 block of Brockett Road. That incident left 31-year-old Gary Matthews of Lithonia dead and another person critically injured, according to WSB-TV. Grady faces a malice murder charge in that case and remains jailed without bond while detectives continue to work through the case file.
Waykuur accused in 2024 teen's death
Authorities say 20-year-old Hamid Dawd Waykuur is charged with malice murder in the June 2024 fatal shooting of 17-year-old Messiah Battle at the Springdale Glen Apartments in the 3800 block of Brockett Trail, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. Investigators said Battle was found on an outside stairwell with multiple gunshot wounds and later died from his injuries.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said both homicide cases remain under investigation and has not publicly linked the two arrests to any single conspiracy or motive, according to WSB-TV. Detectives and prosecutors will keep reviewing evidence to determine whether additional charges or more arrests might follow.
What the malice murder charge means
Under Georgia law, malice murder requires proof that a defendant caused a death with "malice aforethought," either express or implied, and it carries the state’s most severe penalties under O.C.G.A. § 16-5-1, according to the statute posted on Justia. What that ultimately means for each defendant will depend on what prosecutors can prove in court and how any plea negotiations or trials play out.
Both men remain held at the DeKalb County Jail without bond while investigators continue their work. The sheriff’s office has not yet released booking photos or additional public comment. Court records and any future statements from prosecutors are expected to shed more light on the next steps as the two Clarkston homicide cases move through the legal system.
