It’s official. Richmond County had 50 homicide victims this year with the recent addition of a January death to the list.
Autopsy results released last month showed that 31-year-old DaQuone Harris died Jan. 12 from a complication of drugs and physical restraint from family members. Coroner Mark Bowen said the GBI results took months to determine the cause of death, but it was ruled a homicide in November.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office quietly added the death to their list of homicides, but never announced the findings or the fact they were investigating it. Harris’ name appeared on the 2024 list released this week through Georgia’s Open Records Act. No arrest has been announced.
Authorities say Harris ingested Triple C, which is an over-the-counter medication that contains chlorpheniramine (an antihistamine) and dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant). But it is sometimes abused for its psychoactive effects. Misuse of Triple C can lead to dangerous side effects, including hallucinations, seizures, and respiratory failure.
While reacting to the drug on Jan. 12, family members had to hold Harris down inside a home on Acapulco Drive, and he was later taken to Wellstar MCG Health, where he died.
“He died due to drugs and physical restraint,” the coroner said.
The deaths mark the highest number of homicides recorded under Sheriff Richard Roundtree’s 12-year tenure, and a 31% increase since last year. There were 38 homicide victims last year.
During his campaign for re-election this year, Sheriff Roundtree blamed gun violence on the homicide rate in the Augusta area. He called it a nationwide problem.
“No one was found that that magic wand yet to curb this youth gun violence. So we are not immune to that. So that is where a lot of our focus is on,” he said.
The sheriff saw a low homicide count in his first few years in office, with only 18 in 2013. But the numbers continued to climb for at least seven years straight, jumping to 43 in 2020.
Nationally, homicides are down dramatically this year and have declined every year since 2020, according to FBI reports.
Incoming Sheriff Eugene “Gino Rock” Brantley has pledged to establish a task force dedicated to addressing gun violence, with a special focus on youth- related incidents.
Here is the list of every homicide with the victim’s name and any possible suspect:
Jan. 12
DeQuone Harris, 31, was killed Jan. 12. No suspect has been named.
Jan. 14
Rebecca Williams, 41, was killed on Jan. 14. The suspect is Michael Williams, 43, who is also deceased.
Jan. 20
Chrisawn Bennelle Martin, 22, was killed Jan. 20. Michael Dequez Scott, 28, is the suspect.
Jan. 25
Marchelle Pilger, 51, was killed Jan. 28. Michael Mitchell, 53, is the suspect.
Jan. 31
Wonya Ryan, 28, was killed Jan. 31. Cornelius Simms, 34, is the suspect.
Feb. 17
Demon Parrish, 30, was killed Feb. 17. Caleb White, 23, is the suspect.
Feb. 20
Chong Chun, 74, was killed Feb. 20. Antonio Williams, 13, is the suspect.
Feb. 22
Michael Nixon, 21, was killed Feb. 22. Cequez Jones, 20, and Cecil Martin, 17, are the suspects.
Feb. 28
Jon Lowden Jr., 38, was killed Feb. 28. Robert Ward, 32, is the suspect.
April 2
Makel Fleming Jones, 19, was killed April 2. Dominque Beal, 27, is the suspect.
April 8
Latoya Price, 44, was killed April 8. Tarance Revell, 46, is the suspect.
April 14
Terence Pinder, 18, was killed April 14. No suspect has been identified.
April 21
Gregory Campbell, 24, was killed on April 21. Bennelle Evans, 38, is the suspect.
April 30
Anthony Harrison, 14, was killed April 30. Darryaun Tanksley, 15, is the suspect.
May 5
Jalen Xavier Sumpter, 22, was killed May 5. Tydasia Hope, 19, and Carnell Quiller, 13, are the suspects.
May 8
Gregory Maurice Dunn, 37, was killed May 8. Ryon Lewis, 39, is the suspect.
May 21
Lashanda Brooks, 45, was killed May 21. Michael Brooks, 45, is the suspect.
June 5
Travis Demon Beard, 46, was killed June 5. There is no suspect.
Elias Jkhael Delk, 28, was killed Jan. 15. Creston Curry, 27, and Tamiko Butler, 26, are the suspects.
June 14
Edward Goins, 53, was killed June 14. Essence Lawrence is the suspect. RCSO says the case is under a D.A. review.
June 23
Kimiko Stewart, 86, was killed on June 23. Jerome Stewart, 86, is the suspect.
June 28
Marc Whitehead, 30, was killed June 28. The suspect is unknown.
July 2
Ceon Ulmer, 38, was killed July 2. Joshua Wadley, 39, is the suspect.
July 5
Sadiq Brown, 16, was killed July 5. Kieran Walters, 18, and Malcolm Bryant, 19, are the suspects. Walters remains wanted for murder and weapon possession.
July 20
Elijah James Oliver, 19, was killed July 20. The suspects are Terrell Mitchell, Marvin Hall, Devin Garnett, and Nasceir Mitchell.
July 25
Willie Lee Gonder, 41, was killed July 25. There is no suspect.
July 26
Rayshon Roberts, 2, was killed on July 26. Danashia McClennon, 20, is the suspect.
July 27
Argie Jones, 54, was killed on July 27. Jayden Bell, 17, is the suspect.
Aug. 6
Josiah Noel Seright, 3 1/2 months, was killed Aug. 6. September Seright, Diane Seright, and Antonio Nash are the suspects.
Aug. 17
Monique Elaine Hawes, 53, was killed Aug. 17. Samuel Patrick Howell is the suspect.
Aug. 9
Larry Drayton, 73, was killed on Aug. 9. The suspect is unknown.
Sept. 5
Brian Christopher Miller Jr., 27, was killed on Sept. 5. The suspect is unknown.
Sept. 7
Laquana Lang, 27, was killed Sept. 7. Davante Parks, 26, is the suspect.
Sept. 14
Eric Council, 37, was killed Sept. 14. Constance Jenkins, 38, is the suspect.
Sept. 22
Mikah Smith, 42, was killed Sept. 22. Michael Dobson, 19, is the suspect.
Sept. 20
Jean Magala, 18, was killed Sept. 20. Teric Ivey, 19, is the suspect.
Sept. 28
Darrell Anthony Rice Jr., 36, was killed Sept. 28. Joshua Ortez Doggett, 42, is the suspect.
Oct. 4
Arthur Braxton, 32, was killed Oct. 4. Malik Dunbar, 28, is the suspect.
Oct. 5
Stephon Shevelle Jones, 22, was killed Oct. 5. Charlie Junior Demmons, 29, is the suspect.
Oct. 30
Devayn Grissam, 15, was killed Oct. 30. Ricky Antwavious Holmes, 19, and Aukeidris Cooper, 16, are the suspects.
Oct. 31
Michael Whitfield, 59, was killed Oct. 31. DeMarcus Thomas, 31, is the suspect.
Nov. 12
Marciano Kirkland, 35, was killed Nov. 12. Jordan Walden, 17, is the suspect.
Nov. 13
Aiden Wood, 4 months old, was killed Nov. 13. Daveon Wood, 21, is the suspect.
Nov. 14
Zaytreonta Boyd, 27, was killed Nov. 14.
Nov. 21
Chavious Kimmerlin, 50, was killed Nov. 21. De Narian Cobb, 24, is the suspect.
Nov. 21
Jeremy Dontavious McGahee, 34, was killed Nov. 21. Zyquan Jamarcus Franklin is the suspect in the murder-suicide.
- & 48.
Nov. 27
William Horne, 49, and wife Carol Horne, 52, were killed Nov. 27. William’s brother, Tony Horne, 46, is the suspect.
49.
Nov. 29
Ruben Johnson, 20, was killed Nov. 29. Earnest Parkman, 68, and Jermaine Williams, 21, are the suspects.
50.
Dec. 2
James West, 73, was killed Dec. 2. Harold Leverett Jr., 27, is the suspect.