On the evening of June 13, 2023, 16-year-old Mykal Ellis was walking home after football practice in Brunswick, Georgia, when gunfire erupted on Johnston Street just steps from his front door. Mykal, a running back for Brunswick High School, was struck and died at the scene; his brother ran to his side after hearing the shots. Teammates and coaches remembered him as a joyful teammate and a promising, well-behaved young man.

Investigators identified 21-year-old Breon Hartley from Jacksonville as the primary suspect and sought him on charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. An associate, Diandra Hightower, was arrested on charges of tampering with evidence and providing false statements. Hartley was later located and arrested in Jacksonville and was awaiting extradition to Glynn County to face the charges.

Did anyone in Brunswick know Mykal or see activity on Johnston Street that evening?