Lilburn man sentenced to life for 2020 murder over rumors
Marquel Williams (File photo)
GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A Lilburn man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 murder of his neighbor, who confronted him about spreading damaging rumors. Marquel Akeem Williams, 33, was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, and aggravated assault in the shooting death of 26-year-old Stanislas Alverna.
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What we know:
The fatal encounter took place on September 9, 2020, in the parking lot of the Home Stay Suites in Lilburn, where both men lived. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, Alverna approached Williams during a group meeting intended to address the rumors Williams had allegedly spread about multiple residents. Williams responded by drawing a handgun loaded with "R.I.P." bullets—designed to fragment on impact—and shooting Alverna five times.
The shots struck Alverna in the finger, chest, abdomen, side, and back. Williams then fled the scene, discarding the weapon in nearby woods, changing his appearance by shaving his head, and evading law enforcement for four days. The discarded gun was recovered by a hotel resident and ultimately turned over to authorities via Alverna’s family. Ballistic testing later confirmed it was the weapon used in the shooting.
What they're saying:
District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson condemned the violence. "Stanislas Alverna was merely trying to communicate with the defendant in an attempt to resolve a verbal dispute," she said. "This defendant, however, responded with violence. Mr. Alverna’s family and loved ones should find some comfort in knowing this defendant will be held accountable."
Williams turned himself in after several days in hiding. A jury convicted him following a swift deliberation that lasted less than two hours.
Managing Assistant District Attorney Marlene Oldeen and Assistant District Attorney Jared Lee led the prosecution. The case was supported by DA’s Investigators Shayla LaCosta and Germaine Johnson, and Victim Witness Advocate Korinne Haskins, along with the Gwinnett County Police Department, Sheriff’s Office, Medical Examiner’s Office, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.