In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 14, 2026, a parking lot on North Jackson Street in downtown Athens, Georgia, was the scene of a triple shooting. Nineteen-year-old Dylan Bentley of Jefferson was critically wounded at about 2:20 a.m., transported to a local hospital, and died of his injuries on March 15, 2026. Twenty-two-year-old Clayton Adams of Hull was pronounced dead at the scene; a third victim, 20-year-old Landon Skinner, was shot in the eye and remained in critical condition.

Authorities arrested 22-year-old Mark Desousa of Jefferson and charged him with two counts of malice murder, aggravated assault, and aggravated battery. Warrants allege Desousa walked up to Bentley and shot him in the back of the head without provocation. Desousa was reportedly a longtime best friend of Skinner, and Skinner’s mother said Skinner and Desousa had been out together on the night of the shooting. Friends and family held a vigil for Bentley on a soccer field he used to play on, where more than a hundred people gathered to remember his love of racing, soccer, and Ohio State football.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation. If anyone has information about what happened that night or knew Dylan Bentley, please share what you can.