Teen helped murder high school football teammate days before state championship, then played in his honor, officials say

A 17-year-old successful Georgia allegedly helped murder a precocious schoolhouse classmate and chap shot subordinate just days earlier their authorities title game — and past proceeded to play successful his honor, according to cops and section reports.

Qua’vion Cooper, of Manchester, was arrested for the 2023 shooting decease of Brandon Smith, 17, and charged with execution “as a enactment to the crime,” the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced successful a press release connected May 1. Cooper allegedly assisted A’darius Jashawn Williams, 19, successful sidesplitting Smith — a Manchester High School pupil and antiaircraft lineman who was acceptable to play successful the Class A Division II title with him astatine Mercedes-Benz Stadium successful Atlanta — pursuing a verbal dispute, the GBI merchandise says.

“During the people of the investigation, it was determined that Cooper aided and abetted A’darius Williams, who changeable and killed Smith connected December 7, 2023, pursuing an argument,” GBI officials allege.

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Williams, 19, was booked for Smith’s execution successful January 2024. Police successful Manchester, which is astir 75 miles southbound of Atlanta, accidental helium got into an statement with Smith anterior to the shooting, but nary circumstantial details of the quality person been provided oregon made available.

The GBI was tasked with looking for Smith aft helium was reported missing by his family; his assemblage turned up 3 days aft officials accidental helium was killed.

“On Sunday, December 10, 2023, a 911 caller reported a dormant assemblage down a location connected 3rd Avenue,” GBI officials said successful a January 2024 statement. “The assemblage was determined to beryllium Smith and constabulary suspected foul play.”

Smith had been reported missing by his grandma connected Dec. 9 aft she had tried contacting him repeatedly without success. The adjacent day, the boy’s shot manager reached retired to fto her cognize that her grandson’s assemblage had been found, Atlanta outlet WXIA reported. Police judge Smith was murdered connected Dec. 7.

Smith’s grandma, who raised the 17-year-old since helium was an infant, told the New York Post she believed Smith “wanted to archer her thing helium couldn’t” the nighttime earlier helium went missing.

Meriwether County School District officials issued a connection Monday to section ABC affiliate WSB astir Cooper’s alleged involvement.

“We are alert of the 2 arrests successful transportation with the tragic decease of Brandon Smith successful 2023,” the territory said, per WSB. “This is simply a profoundly hard infinitesimal for galore successful our community, and our hearts stay with Brandon’s family, friends, and teammates arsenic they proceed to grieve this loss.”

WSB reports that the Manchester Blue Devils played the authorities rubric crippled successful Smith’s honor, with Cooper being 1 of the team’s stars to suit up. The schoolhouse mislaid the crippled by 1 point.

“He ne'er gave america problems,” Smith’s gramps told section ABC affiliate WTVM. “He’s ever been good, ever since helium was a small bitty babe until his property now, 17 years aged … And I conscionable hatred that idiosyncratic shortened his dreams similar that and chopped him short.”

Brandi Buchman and David Harris contributed to this report.