Michael Gidewon, a 50-year-old Black man celebrated as a pillar of Atlanta’s nightlife and a devoted family man, was a husband and a father to four children. He and his brother, Alex, had a remarkable journey, emigrating from the East African nation of Eritrea to escape violence. In Atlanta, they started as valets and, over 35 years, rose to become influential entrepreneurs in the city's entertainment scene. They owned a series of popular clubs, including Compound and Vision, and were known for their community involvement and charitable work, such as helping with Thanksgiving dinner drives. Friends remembered Michael as a kind, gentle, and reserved man who loved his wife, Selam, and their children deeply.
The tragedy that cut his life short unfolded in the early morning of February 4, 2023. At the Republic Lounge on Brady Avenue NW, a popular West Midtown establishment Michael co-owned with his brother, a patron was reportedly asked to leave for being heavily intoxicated.
The man did not leave the area. Instead, he allegedly waited in the parking lot. Just before 7 a.m., as Michael Gidewon emerged from the club, he was shot and killed. Atlanta Police Department officers responded to a 6:55 a.m. call and found him unresponsive with a gunshot wound to the head. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Witnesses described a chaotic aftermath, with one 911 caller reporting they saw the suspect standing over Gidewon with a gun before walking away toward Howell Mill Road.
The investigation, led by the Atlanta Police Department's Homicide Unit, quickly focused on a single individual. Within days, police publicly identified 39-year-old Jonathan David Soto as the suspect. The connection between the two men was not a random one. While initial reports suggested a disgruntled customer, it was later revealed that Soto was a promoter who had known and worked with the Gidewon family for two decades. In a message to Soto posted on social media, Alex Gidewon expressed his shock and betrayal, writing, "I trusted you. Anybody that know me knows I keep a small circle but I let you in...You know Mike's family. His wife. Their children. How could you do this?"
Following the identification, Jonathan Soto became a fugitive, evading capture for more than three years and landing on the Atlanta Police Department's Top 10 Most Wanted list. The Gidewon family, devastated by their loss, pleaded for justice and offered a substantial reward for information leading to his arrest. The reward, initially set at $100,000, was increased to $250,000 in March 2023. In the wake of the tragedy, Alex Gidewon announced the permanent closure of the Republic Lounge, which had been open since 2019. A celebration of Michael's life was held on February 14, 2023, at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church, drawing an outpouring of support from the community.
After an extensive, multi-year manhunt, the search for Soto came to an end in September 2026. Investigators with the Atlanta Police Department's Fugitive Unit, working with the U.S. Marshals Service and the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office, located him in an apartment in Jacksonville, Florida. When Soto refused to surrender, a SWAT team breached the door and took him into custody without incident.
In October 2026, Jonathan David Soto, then 43, was extradited to Georgia and booked into the Fulton County Jail. He faces charges of murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. As of the latest reports in October 2026, the case against him is proceeding through the court system.
