A deadly porch shooting at an east Athens public housing complex has now ended with life sentences for two men, after a jury found them guilty on May 5, 2026, in the 2022 killing of 19-year-old Brynarius Smith.
Shamon Elder Jr. and Jaquavious Smith were convicted after a roughly four-week trial and were given life terms, including one sentence without the possibility of parole, in a case prosecutors tied to a local gang feud. The prosecutions were led by the state Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit working with Athens-Clarke County law enforcement.
Convictions and sentences
According to the Georgia Attorney General's Office, Elder was found guilty of malice murder, aggravated assault, multiple violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act and a firearms charge. A judge sentenced him to life without the possibility of parole plus 85 years to serve.
Smith was convicted of felony murder and related gang-act counts and received life in prison with the possibility of parole plus 20 years of probation. Prosecutors said the verdicts capped a roughly four-week trial in Clarke County Superior Court.
How the killing unfolded
Prosecutors say Brynarius Smith was shot and killed on April 16, 2022, while sitting on his front porch at the Nellie B. Homes public-housing complex in east Athens. In court, they described the killing as part of an exchange of violence between rival crews. The jury returned guilty verdicts on May 5, 2026.
As reported by Atlanta News First, prosecutors said both defendants are members of the Red Tape Gang.
Feud and enforcement
State prosecutors tied the shooting to a feud between the Red Tape Gang (RTG) and a rival crew called Everybody Eats (EBE) that dates back to 2021. The Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit, created in July 2022, has partnered with the Athens-Clarke County Police Department to pursue cases linked to the conflict.
The Attorney General’s Office says the unit has secured roughly 20 convictions in Athens while reporting a drop in shootings compared with 2022. Hoodline previously covered the AG’s earlier Athens update on the investigation (major Athens gang update).
What the gang law does
Many of the counts in the prosecutions were brought under Georgia’s Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, which makes it unlawful for people associated with a criminal street gang to commit certain violent offenses and allows prosecutors to introduce evidence of gang activity to show a pattern.
The statute is codified at O.C.G.A. § 16-15-1 et seq., and legal resources note that convictions under the law can carry enhanced penalties and special probation conditions. For the statute text and definitions, see the Georgia code summary at Justia.
Local response and next steps
Attorney General Chris Carr said the convictions send “a strong message that violent crime will not be tolerated” and praised the partnership between his gang unit and local police, according to Atlanta News First. Athens-area law enforcement officials credited investigators and said efforts to remove violent offenders from neighborhoods will continue.
Prosecutors say additional cases tied to the broader conflict remain active as courts schedule follow-up proceedings.
What to watch
The Attorney General’s Gang Prosecution Unit has handled gang cases across the state since mid-2022 and, per local reporting, has secured dozens of convictions, while some related defendants are still facing charges in Clarke County.
Community members and family members said the verdicts bring a measure of closure in one high-profile case even as prosecutors continue to pursue other indictments. We will be watching court dockets for upcoming hearings in the related cases and any further statements from local public-safety officials.
