DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Two men will spend years behind bars after the pair was found guilty of murdering a 17-year-old boy at a DeKalb County gas station, the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office announced.
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In January 2023, Akhir Muhammad, 17, was shot in the back outside a Shell gas station on Snapfinger Woods Drive.
According to DeKalb County police, officers found Muhammad, who had been shot several times in the back. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigators say Muhammad and a friend stopped at the gas station together. As they walked inside the store, Quavion Hale, 20, and Stantavis Reese, 18, walked past them.
DKPD said that within seconds of leaving the store, Hale and Reese pulled their guns on Muhammad and demanded that he give them the gun he was lawfully carrying.
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Investigators said that before the victim had time to react, Hale and Reese both shot him in the back.
The pair ran away, however, Reese came back to get Muhammad’s gun and Hale’s backpack.
Surveillance video correlated with what occurred.
Hale was arrested in March 2023 and Reese was arrested in December 2023.
On April 23, the pair was found guilty on charges of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
On Tuesday, a DeKalb County judge sentenced Hale to life without the possibility of parole, plus 25 years.
Reese was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole plus 25 years.
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Channel 2 Action News spoke with Muhammad’s mother, Cadedra Bryant, after the shooting happened.
She said her son worked in valet parking but was studying to become a general electrician.
“I can’t believe it. The only time I believed it was when I saw the medical examiner. I still can’t believe it. I’m just very hurt,” Bryant said.
She said he just graduated from Miller Grove High School the year before he died.
“Overall, he was a good kid trying to prove himself to me and his father.”
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