Deonte Ma’Lik Sledge, 28, was shot and killed in the early morning hours of November 25, 2023, in Augusta, Georgia. Officers were dispatched around 4:21 a.m. after reports of gunfire and found Sledge inside his 2011 Silver Ford Flex on the 2500 block of Blackstone Street West. He was pronounced dead at the scene about 45 minutes later.

The Richmond County Coroner’s Office and Sheriff’s Office say the shooting remains under investigation and no arrests have been announced; investigators have not released a motive. Sledge, known by the nickname Pill Cosby, was active on social media about dealing marijuana and pills and had a 2019 sentence of five years probation after pleading guilty to drug-dealing related charges. Friends and family described him as a family man devoted to his children. Funeral services were held December 4, 2023, at Broadway Baptist Church in Augusta.

If anyone has information about what happened that morning or knew Sledge, please contact the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office.