Two more men convicted in 2022 Fort Valley shooting that killed toddler, injured sister
The shooting at Lakeview Apartments killed 23-month-old Marcus Ball Jr. and injured his 12-month-old sister.
FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Peach County jury has convicted two men of murder in the 2022 shooting death of a 23-month-old boy and the injury of his 12-month-old sister at a Fort Valley apartment complex, according to the Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.
On Friday, August 8, jurors found Jabari Thomas and Wontazious Bivins guilty of malice murder, felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, the district attorney’s office said. Bivins was also found guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Prosecutors said the charges stem from the July 20, 2022, shooting at the Lakeview Apartments, where Thomas and Bivins fired numerous shots toward Building D during a dispute with another resident. One of those rounds went into a bedroom, hitting 12-month-old Markailey Ball in the right shoulder before striking her younger brother, Marcus Ball Jr., in the head. Marcus died from his injuries.
The district attorney’s office said officers rendered aid at the scene, but the toddler did not survive.
Their co-defendant, Christopher Miller, was convicted on the same charges in May.
“When innocent babies become victims of reckless gun violence in their own homes, my prosecutors will overcome the toughest challenges to secure justice,” District Attorney Anita Howard said in a statement. “Despite every obstacle thrown in our path, from reluctant witnesses to a compromised initial investigation, this skilled prosecution team rebuilt this case from the ground up and delivered justice for Marcus and his family. I commend the courage of those witnesses who came forward to speak the truth and urge others to continue to do the same if faced with a similar situation. This is the only way this pointless violence will ever be stopped.”
The district attorney’s office said Thomas and Bivins will be sentenced at a later date and face the possibility of life in prison without parole.
