Jaylen Nairne

In the early hours of a Sunday morning in Augusta, Georgia, a violent confrontation during a home invasion claimed the life of 18-year-old Jaylen Nairne, a Black man. The incident unfolded just before 12:35 a.m. on July 25, 2021, at a residence on the 3600 block of Meadowgrove Drive.

According to authorities, Nairne had accompanied another man, Deatoryin Ottley, to the home of 18-year-old Brice Fountain. Investigators stated that their objective was to rob Fountain of a gun. A later grand jury indictment alleged that the suspects were armed with a handgun and a rifle and demanded both guns and money from the resident. The attempted robbery quickly escalated into a gunfight inside the home.

During the exchange of gunfire, both Nairne and Fountain were shot. After being wounded, Nairne was driven from the scene and dropped off at a local hospital. He was pronounced dead there at 12:47 a.m. When deputies arrived at the Meadowgrove Drive residence, they found Fountain, who had also been shot. He was transported by ambulance to Augusta University Medical Center and survived his injuries.

The investigation quickly led to the arrest of 21-year-old Deatoryin Ottley. Because Nairne was killed during the commission of a felony in which Ottley was an alleged participant, Ottley was charged with murder. His initial charges also included criminal attempted armed robbery and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime.

The case saw a significant development two years later. In August 2023, a Richmond County grand jury returned an indictment against Ottley and a second suspect, 25-year-old Shanna D. Bates. The indictment charged both individuals with four counts of felony murder for causing Nairne’s death during the acts of home invasion, burglary, attempted armed robbery, and aggravated assault. They were also charged with aggravated assault for striking Fountain with a handgun, as well as possessing firearms during the commission of a felony.

At the time the indictment was issued, Bates was not reported to be in local custody. As of August 2023, the criminal proceedings against the two co-defendants remained pending.