Quavion Hale, Stantavis Reese convicted in 2023 gas station murder of 20-year-old man

DECATUR, GA—DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the convictions by jury trial in the murder of a 20-year-old man at a gas station in unincorporated Decatur.

On Wednesday, April 23, jurors found Quavion Hale, 20, and Stantavis Reese, 18, both guilty on charges of Malice Murder, two counts of Felony Murder, Armed Robbery, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony stemming from the murder of Akhir Muhammad, 20, on Jan. 10, 2023.

According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded around 6 p.m. to a call of a person shot at a gas station in the 5000 block of Snapfinger Woods Drive. When officers arrived, they found Muhammad, who had been shot multiple times in the back. He was declared deceased on the scene.

Investigators learned that Muhammad and a friend stopped at the gas station together. As they entered the store, they walked past Hale and Reese. Within seconds of exiting the store, both defendants pulled their firearms on Muhammad and demanded the gun he was lawfully carrying.

Before Muhammad had time to react, Defendants Hale and Reese both shot him in the back. The defendants fled on foot. Reese returned to retrieve Muhammad’s gun and Hale’s backpack.

Law enforcement recovered surveillance video of both defendants arriving at the gas station. Hale and his backpack can be seen on camera entering and exiting the store. Reese can be seen clearly on camera inside the store minutes before the murder.

The investigation led to t Hale’s social media where he can be seen wearing the same distinct backpack and shoes that he was seen wearing on surveillance video at the time of the murder.

Hale was arrested on March 23, 2023, and Reese was arrested on Dec. 8, 2023. Both defendants were taken into custody without incident.

DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory A. Adams presided over the trial. Sentencing for Hale and Reese is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, at 9 a.m.

The case, assigned to the Homicide and Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jasmine Atakora, with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Chelsea Peterson, District Attorney Investigator Tia Johnson, and Victim Advocate Christy Palmer. DeKalb County Police Department Det. Knight led the initial investigation.