Suspects Accused In Canton Double Homicide Booked Into Jail

Editor's Note: One or more names in this report have been redacted in light of additional documentation provided regarding this case.

CANTON, GA — Nearly all of the 13 defendants indicted earlier this month on gang, murder and other charges stemming from the incidents related to the 2017 double homicide in Canton have been booked into the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.

Patch now has mug shots of 11 individuals accused of partaking in events surrounding the initial fight, alleged murders and shooting that damaged a church and home in the Crisler Street neighborhood.

A Cherokee County grand jury last week returned indictments against Brody Samples, Byron Elrod, Darron Brown, Jeremy Zellous, (removed), Brooke Wotring, Brian Miller, Bryson Miller, Jamesly Baptiste, Temarlos Turner, Akilee Wilson, Christian Johnson and Javon Reid.

Cherokee County District Attorney Shannon Wallace said that at least two defendants who were indicted — Johnson and Bryson Miller — have not been booked into the jail. Bench warrants were signed and issued April 18 for Johnson and Miller.

Two separate indictments were issued by the grand jury, and the charges include violations of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act, felony murder, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, false statements, tampering with evidence and firearms offenses, the Cherokee County District Attorney's Office said Thursday.

Eleven of the 13 defendants were indicted for their alleged affiliation with the Bloods, the infamous street gang based in California. All defendants are accused of being involved in three events occurring within a month, the first of which rocked the community with a fatal double shooting.

These series of events began when two opposing groups got into a physical altercation in the middle of Crisler Street near Burge Park on June 24, 2017. The following evening, Canton police officers and Cherokee sheriff's deputies responded to a shots fired call in the same area of the brawl. One shooting victim, William Kendrick Randall, was found dead at the scene while the other, Tony Lamar Samples, was found deceased inside a vehicle on North Street. That vehicle, the District Attorney's Office added, belonged to Zellous.

Roughly two weeks later, officers responded to another call of shots fired towards the Iglesia Pentecostes El Faro church at 385 Crisler Street and a home where witnesses to the double shooting lived. The Canton Police Department initially announced the arrest of five individuals connected to the shooting, but the indictment points to a larger network of organized crime that resulted in local officials getting the help of the FBI Northwest Georgia Criminal Enterprise Task Force.

Arraignment of the defendants will be held Tuesday, May 8 at 9 a.m. at the Cherokee County Justice Center in Canton.

Jamesly Baptiste. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Darron Brown. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Byron Elrod. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Brian Miller. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Javon Reid. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Brody Samples. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Temarlos Turner. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Aiklee Wilson. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Brooke Wotring. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

Jeremy Zellous. Credit: Cherokee Sheriff's Office

See also:

• Canton Police Identify Double Homicide Victims
• Two Charged With Murder In Canton Double Homicide
• Arrests Made In Canton Double Homicide Investigation
• 3 Charged In Shooting Near Site Of Canton Double Homicide
• Canton Double Homicide 'Not A Random Shooting:' Police
• Canton Double Murder Suspect Captured In New York
• Police Work Leads In Canton Double Homicide
• Canton Double Homicide: Police, City Leaders Work To Ensure Safety
• Neighborhood Rocked By Murders Sees Hope In New Park

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