Fayetteville Police have arrested two suspects for their role in the June 7 murder of 27-year-old Gregory Smith, a manager at the Applebee’s restaurant in Fayetteville.
Greg Haney Jr, 24, of Jonesboro, is charged with felony murder, malice murder, armed robbery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and aggravated assault, according to department spokesman Mike Whitlow.
Ledarrius Jawon Jackson, 25, of Hampton, is charged with party to the crime of felony murder, malice murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault, Whitlow said.
A half-dozen family members were present at a July 1 press conference held at the police department. As before, Smith’s cousin Jessalyn Dorsey spoke for the family.
“We are grateful to all those who have worked on this case to get violent offenders off the street,” Dorsey said. “Greg had so much life to live. He was taken too soon.”
On June 7, 2015, at approximately 6:30 a.m., Smith’s body was found in his vehicle, which was parked in the Applebee’s parking lot. Smith’s girlfriend had become concerned when he did not arrive home the night before and drove to Applebee’s to check on him. She called 911 immediately.
There was one gunshot entry in the driver’s side window and police located shell casings in the parking lot. Police canvassed local businesses for surveillance video and later released video of a Chevrolet Malibu that had driven behind Applebee’s moments before Smith exited the restaurant.
Whitlow said Haney was previously employed at Applebee’s though it is believed that he and Smith did not know each other.
“Minus a connection (between Smith and Haney), the only thing left is robbery,” Whitlow said of the motive.
Describing Haney and Jackson as “bad guys” and Smith’s murder as “callous and premeditated,” Whitlow said both men were in other jails on unrelated charges when the warrants for their arrest were executed.
Whitlow thanked members of the community who provided the tips, especially after the suspect’s vehicle was provided to the media, that led to the arrests.
“The tips led us to the suspects,” Whitlow said.
The Fayetteville Police sincerely thank the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Victor Hill, the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office, Sheriff Barry Babb, the G.B.I., the numerous Fayetteville businesses who quickly cooperated and provided their surveillance video, local and Atlanta media and most importantly the public for responding so profoundly to this tragedy, Whitlow said.
