Edward James Ferguson, 25, was shot and killed the night of August 12, 2014, in the Adel Housing Authority complex at 500 Holiday Street in Adel, Georgia. Cook County 911 received the call about 10:36 p.m. Investigators say Ferguson and 18-year-old Anthony Hill were passing through the complex when both were struck by multiple gunshot wounds; Ferguson died at a local hospital that evening and Hill survived despite life-threatening injuries.

Public reports do not identify a motive or name any suspect. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Adel Police Department later issued an appeal saying no arrest had been made and offering rewards for information leading to arrest and conviction, including a $4,000 reward reported in the press and a $2,000 reward offered by a 2016 executive order. Officials indicated they had been unable to develop solid leads and left open the possibility more than one person could have been involved.