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DECATUR, GA—JaNautica Lashay Whitehead, the 19-year-old whose body was found in a car at 3951 Snapfinger Parkway, near the Omega Psi Phi World Headquarters in DeKalb County, knew the suspect charged with murdering her, On Common Ground News has learned.
Whitehead died violently on Nov. 26, 2022—she was shot twice in the head and was wearing her Waffle House uniform when she was killed, On Common Ground News learned after filing an open records request that was made available today, Dec. 28, for the arrest warrant for the suspect, Deeron Zyon Hicks. Hicks was arrested on Murder-Malice charges on Dec. 17, DeKalb County Jail records show.
According to the warrant, Hicks and Whitehead had dated for the last four years. Investigators learned of the relationship between the two from Whitehead’s family, the warrant states.The warrant did not state what led to her murder.
The NAACP DeKalb and community activist Amos King held a news conference on Dec. 22 to bring attention to Whitehead’s murder after few details were made public about her death. King discovered the body while on his way to the Omega Psi Phi building around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26 and called police immediately. King said he was haunted by the gruesome discovery of the body and the fact that Whitehead’s murder did not receive much attention from news media. He said he learned more about Whitehead from social media and Waffle House workers. King criticized elected officials for failing to do more to make the community aware of the murder and providing details on serious crimes when they occur in the community. He also said the roadway where Whitehead’s body was found is a dumping ground that elected officials have ignored for years.
“They need to clean it up and put up some signs and cameras,” King said.
King added that he can’t help but feel that Whitehead’s death could have been avoided.
“She was just 19 years old. The Waffle House workers said the suspect and Whitehead had been arguing in the parking lot on Nov. 10. They said he was choking her and pulled a gun on her,” said King. “Maybe if the police had been called then, she might still be alive today.”