Sonny Chambers

Sonny Chambers, a 42-year-old man known for his bright smile and silly, funny personality, was a beloved figure to his family and friends in Columbus, Georgia. A graduate of Kendrick High School, he was remembered as a deeply good person and the "best father ever." Those close to him said he had love for everyone and could light up a room just by entering it. His life was cut short in a violent encounter inside his own home, an event that police would later classify as domestic in nature.

In the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, December 5, 2024, Sonny, a Black male, returned to his family’s home in the 7300 block of Sorrel Court. He had just finished his shift at the Walmart Distribution Center shortly after 1 a.m. His wife, Shamika Chambers, was asleep in the master bedroom when he arrived. She later recounted to detectives that she was startled awake when Sonny suddenly opened the bedroom door and turned on the light. He went to a shelf to retrieve a firearm, which made his wife believe an intruder might be in the house. As Sonny turned back toward the doorway, he was met by his 22-year-old stepson, Quentez Thrasher, who was already home. In that instant, gunshots erupted in the hallway.

The Columbus Police Department received a call about a shooting at the residence at approximately 1:18 a.m. and dispatched officers to the scene. Upon arrival, they found Sonny Chambers in the doorway of the master bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. Emergency medical services were called to the home but were unable to resuscitate him. A Muscogee County deputy coroner pronounced Sonny dead at the scene at 1:55 a.m. An autopsy later confirmed he had sustained six gunshot wounds.

The department’s Violent Crimes Unit immediately began an investigation. Detectives processed the scene, where they found 11 shell casings. A firearm was located near Sonny’s body, but investigators determined that the casings found did not match that particular weapon. The firearm used in the shooting was not recovered at the residence. The investigation quickly pointed to Quentez Thrasher as the suspect. A doorbell camera captured footage of Thrasher leaving the home in a vehicle shortly after the shooting. A few hours later, police initiated a traffic stop on that same vehicle, but three occupants, one of whom was believed to be Thrasher, fled on foot.

Columbus police secured arrest warrants for Thrasher, charging him with Murder (Family Violence) and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Crime. They released his name to the public and asked for assistance in locating him. The search continued for nearly two weeks until Tuesday, December 17, when authorities successfully took Thrasher into custody.

Following his arrest, Thrasher faced a series of charges: Murder, Aggravated Assault (Family Violence), Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Crime, and two misdemeanor counts of Cruelty to Children in the Third Degree. On Thursday, December 19, 2024, Thrasher appeared for a preliminary hearing in Recorder's Court. During the proceeding, he pleaded not guilty to the murder of his stepfather, Sonny Chambers. As of December 2024, the case against Quentez Thrasher is moving forward in the judicial system. Authorities have asked anyone with further information to contact Cpl. C. Snipes of the Columbus Police Department.