Keshawn J'Corey Griffin, a 20-year-old with a new commercial driver's license and a future full of promise, was known for his devotion to his family and friends. Born in Albany, Georgia, on May 22, 2002, to Tamera Gary and Denerick Brown Sr., Keshawn was a 2020 graduate of Westover High School. He continued his education at Albany Technical College, earning his CDL certificate in 2021. Remembered as a beloved son and brother, his life was cut tragically short alongside his older brother, Alonzo Antonio Jones Jr., on a warm summer evening.
On Monday, August 15, 2022, at approximately 9:17 p.m., the Albany Police Department received calls about a shooting on the 300 block of West Mercer Avenue. Officers arrived at the residential street, near the Oakview Cemetery, to find both Keshawn and 25-year-old Alonzo Jones Jr. with critical gunshot wounds. Despite emergency medical efforts, neither of the brothers survived their injuries.
The quiet neighborhood was suddenly the scene of a double homicide, shocking a community where such violence was described by the police chief as highly unusual.
The Albany Police Department immediately launched an investigation, pleading with the public for any information. Police Chief Michael Persley urged the community to come together to support the grieving family and to assist in the pursuit of justice for the two young men. "This is where the community pulls together and unites to not only support the family during their time of grieving but support the family in the cause for justice," Persley stated. Initial reports mentioned a man seen leaving the area in a dark-colored vehicle, but a clear suspect was not immediately identified.
For months, the investigation continued as detectives worked to find those responsible. In September 2022, police identified 35-year-old Jeremiah Bernard White as a person of interest and asked for the public's help in locating him. A major development in the case came in February 2023, when investigators identified a married couple, Keanu Mizell and Ambakisye Mizell, as the primary suspects. Police announced their belief that the shooting stemmed from a drug deal that had turned violent.
Both Keanu and Ambakisye Mizell were charged with felony murder in the deaths of Keshawn Griffin and Alonzo Jones Jr. At the time the charges were filed, both suspects were already incarcerated on unrelated matters. Keanu Mizell was being held in the Dougherty County Jail, while Ambakisye Mizell was in the Cobb County Jail. His detention there was connected to the alleged murder of Demetrius Dow in Vinings, which occurred less than two weeks after the Albany double homicide. Police also noted that a third individual connected to the case had died by suicide during the investigation.
While announcing the charges against the Mizells, Lataevia Jackson, a sergeant in the robbery-homicide division, indicated that the investigation was not over. "So there will be more warrants taken out on some other individuals," Jackson said in February 2023. "But at this here time, we do have the main suspects on this, which are the Mizells, the husband and wife."
As of the latest available information, the cases against Keanu and Ambakisye Mizell are proceeding through the justice system. The families of Keshawn Griffin and Alonzo Jones Jr. continue to wait for a final resolution. The investigation remains open, and authorities have not released further updates on the status of Jeremiah Bernard White. The Albany Police Department encourages anyone with information about the case to contact them at (229) 431-2100 or Albany CrimeStoppers at (229) 436-TIPS.
