Johnny Hawkins

Johnny Hawkins was a 25-year-old Black man who worked in construction in Columbus, Georgia. His life was cut short by violence during the Memorial Day weekend in 2019. On the night of Saturday, May 25, police received a call around 11:30 p.m. about shots being fired near the intersection of Kendrick Avenue and Thornton Drive. When officers arrived, they made a grim discovery in the yard of a residence on Kendrick Avenue: a deceased male, later identified as Johnny Hawkins. The Muscogee County Coroner confirmed he had sustained multiple gunshot wounds.

The scene extended for more than a block. On Thornton Drive, officers found a second man lying in the road who had also been shot. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment but was unable to speak due to the severity of his injuries. As homicide detectives began their investigation, witnesses from the neighborhood reported hearing several gunshots before seeing a grey or silver four-door sedan speeding away from the area.

The investigation led Columbus police to identify a suspect in the fatal shooting. Authorities arrested Julius Doby and charged him in connection with the incident that claimed Hawkins' life and left another man critically wounded.

The case against Doby proceeded to trial, where a jury heard testimony from two Columbus police officers, one who was at the scene the night of the shooting and another who documented evidence the following day. The prosecution presented physical evidence connecting Doby to the crime, including fingerprints recovered from shell casings found at the scene and blood discovered on a vehicle used in the shooting.

In May 2024, after deliberating for approximately two hours, the jury returned a guilty verdict. For the murder of Johnny Hawkins, Julius Doby was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional 30 years. As of May 2024, the case is closed.