Arrest warrant confirms Atlanta rapper Lil Baby's connection to boys' murders
Lil Baby performs onstage during the FIREAID Benefit Concert for California Fire Relief at Intuit Dome on January 30, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for FIREAID)
ATLANTA - A gang-related dispute between two criminal organizations culminated in a fatal shooting on July 2, 2024, leaving two young teenagers dead and a third wounded outside an apartment complex in southwest Atlanta, police say. The attack was part of an escalating feud between the "Four Pockets Full" (4PF) gang and the "Only My Family" (OMF) gang.
ORIGINAL STORY: Oakland City shooting: Two 13-year-olds killed, 11-year-old injured; $10K reward offered
Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum held a press conference on Wednesday to announce the arrests of seven gang members they believe are responsible for the boys' deaths.
Those arrested include Quiyontay Sanders, Richard Hollis, Reginald Thomas, Dekeitheon Mobley, Markus Crawford, Tradon Crawford and Ali Caldwell.
RELATED: Murdered Atlanta teens died after rapper music video shoot, police say
During the same press conference, APD Homicide Commander Ralph Woolfolk connected the murders to the "cowardly acts of an Atlanta-based rapper" who decided to shoot a music video in a place "he knew he should not have been."
Woolfolk said that his team would "work relentlessly" to hold the rapper and affiliates responsible for their actions.
Incident Overview
What we know:
At approximately 12:34 a.m. on July 2, Atlanta Police responded to reports of gunfire at the Sparks Apartments on Sparks Street SW.
Upon arrival, officers discovered three juvenile males had been shot. Thirteen-year-old Lamon Freeman was pronounced dead at the scene, while 13-year-old JaKody Davis succumbed to his injuries after being transported to Egleston Hospital. Eleven-year-old Dontavious Davis survived with a gunshot wound to his foot.
Kids killed by 'grown men playing gangster': police
Atlanta police blame the deaths of two Atlanta boys last summer on seven men they say are members of the violent Goodfellas gang.
Sequence of Events
According to arrest warrants obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta, witnesses reported that the Davis brothers had left their apartment just before midnight to wish Freeman a happy birthday when they were ambushed. Surveillance footage from multiple locations confirmed the presence of two suspect vehicles—a white Nissan Maxima and a gray Nissan sedan—that circled the apartment complex twice before six armed individuals exited and opened fire.
Investigators recovered multiple shell casings at the crime scene, including 5.56mm, 7.62mm, and .223 caliber rounds. The victims were struck multiple times, with forensic evidence indicating that Freeman suffered a gunshot wound to the head while JaKody Davis was shot in the chest.
What Started the Conflict
The backstory:
Authorities say that two of the criminal street gangs in Atlanta – 4PF (Four Pockets Full) and OMF (Only My Family) – are known to have a historical conflict connected to the August 2021 death of 4PF associate Marcus "Big Marc" Holland.
OMF is a subset of the Goodfellas criminal street gang, police say. Goodfellas was reportedly established in the early 2000s and is often referred to as "The Mob" or "La Familia" and "La Cosa Nostra," which is Italian for "This Thing of Ours." Every criminal activity in which the Goodfellas is engaged is allegedly geared toward making money and protecting their ability to do so.
OTHER GOODFELLAS STORIES
- Murder-for-hire plot targeting Fulton County jail officers foiled; 6 indicted
- Multiple gang members sentenced to prison in Cherokee County after 2019 crime spree
- Gang kingpins and metro Atlanta locals arrested in south Georgia's Operation No Loyalty
4PF is known as Atlanta-based rapper Lil Baby's personal brand and motto. His record label was previously named 4 Pockets Full, but was changed to Glass Window Entertainment in 2024, according to Revolt.
Ongoing Gang Violence in Atlanta
What they're saying:
Authorities say that the conflict between 4PF and OMF has resulted in multiple homicides and shootings, especially since May 2024.
According to police, Lil Baby, whose real name is Dominique Jones, went to the 2100 block of Verbena Street NW at that time to shoot a music video. That area is known to be frequented by OMF members and those associated with Dixie Court.
Three people were shot that day – a 23-year-old man, 24-year-old man and a 27-year-old man. They all survived. Lil Baby was not injured in the shooting.
RELATED: 3 men shot during music video filming in northwest Atlanta
However, the feud between the two gangs intensified following the incident and led to gang members engaging in retaliatory attacks throughout Atlanta.
There was no indication in the arrest warrants seen by FOX 5 that Lil Baby ordered any of the crimes committed.
Gang Conflict Escalation
Timeline:
One of those attacks included the murder of OMF member Travante Turner on June 29, 2024, at 9 Peyton Place SW.
RELATED: Man shot to death inside SW Atlanta apartment, police say
Following Turner’s death, his cousin and gang leader Quiyontay "Midnight" Sanders—currently incarcerated at Hancock State Prison—reportedly coordinated revenge against 4PF members through a series of phone calls and social media messages.
Investigators uncovered extensive communication between Sanders and several OMF affiliates, including Ali "Lee" Caldwell, Tradon Crawford, and Reginald "Yano" Thomas, discussing plans to retaliate against the person they believed was responsible.
Those communications identified their target as John "J Shot" Smith, who is known to frequent the Sparks Street area and reportedly has a close relationship to Lil Baby, whom police refer to as the 4PF gang's leader in their warrant.
Images from arrest warrants from Atlanta Police Department
Investigation and Arrests
Dig deeper:
On Aug. 21, police recovered the stolen white Nissan Maxima used in the shooting of Freeman and the Davis brothers at a parking deck on Drew Drive NW. Further forensic analysis linked shell casings found at the scene to previous gang-related shootings across the city.
Investigators also intercepted phone conversations between gang members discussing the incident and efforts to cover their involvement after the boys' deaths. Richard "RJ" Hollis, a known OMF associate, was overheard instructing associates to destroy evidence, including a pair of shoes and social media accounts.
Additionally, a confidential informant provided information from a third party implicating Dekeitheon "Jayman" Mobley in the shooting. The informant told police they had learned through a relative that Jayman really wanted Lil Baby, but it was hard to touch him. Instead, he was hoping to catch another individual associated with 4PF. The informant claimed that Mobley was unaware that the victims were children until after the shooting.
The investigation also revealed that Sanders repeatedly told his girlfriend about seeking revenge against rapper Lil Baby and his plan to extort him for $5 million dollars upon his release from prison.
Who is Lil Baby?
What we know:
Lil Baby, 30, is a Grammy-nominated and critically-acclaimed rapper, singer and songwriter, according to MotownRecords.com. He was born in Atlanta in 1994 and rose to fame in 2017 with the release of his mixtape, Perfect Timing. He gained mainstream success with his 2018 album Harder Than Ever, which included the hit single "Yes Indeed" featuring Drake.
He is known for his melodic flow and lyrics that often reflect his experiences of growing up poor in Atlanta. His 2020 album My Turn became one of the best-selling albums of the year, and his song "The Bigger Picture", released during the Black Lives Matter protests, received critical acclaim for its social commentary.
Lil Baby often performs in his hometown and currently has a concert scheduled for June 7 at State Farm Arena as part of his WHAM World Tour.
Response from Lil Baby
The other side:
Until late Thursday night, the rapper remained quiet regarding the remarks made by Atlanta police during Wednesday's press conference. However, he eventually broke his silence with a post on his official Instagram account, where he thanked his fans and friends for their support and cautioned them against believing "fake news."
Lil Baby's lawyers sent a statement to TMZ on Friday morning. READ STORY.
Community Response and Law Enforcement Efforts
Why you should care:
The fatal shooting of Freeman and Davis has sparked outrage within the community. Local leaders and residents have called for increased police presence and gang intervention programs to curb the violence.
The most recent data shows there are close to 128,000 known gang members and associates in the state of Georgia. There are also about 2,000 gangs.
In 2022, Attorney General Chris Carr created Georgia's first statewide gang prosecution unit.
The gang prosecution unit has secured 52 convictions and indicted nearly 140 individuals statewide.
Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding the case to contact them or Crime Stoppers Atlanta. They reminded the public on Wednesday that there is still a $50,000 reward available for information leading to convictions.