Police Arrest Teen Accused of Helping Murder His Football Teammate

Tragedy struck Meriwether County in December 2023, when a 17-year-old boy was discovered dead on the eve of a significant football game. Police initially arrested one suspect, but have now apprehended another.

On Sunday, December 10, 2023, a 911 caller reported a body behind a home in Manchester, Georgia. The victim was identified as 17-year-old Brandon Smith, who had been missing since December 7.

His family reported him missing two days later, after which he was found. The Manchester Police Department suspected foul play and asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to assist with the investigation.

On January 2, 2024, the GBI arrested and charged A'darius Jashawn Williams with the murder of Smith, after determining the then-19-year-old had shot and killed Smith following an altercation.

The day Smith was discovered, he was meant to represent his school (Manchester High School) in the state championship game. Speaking with 11alive, Smith's uncle emphasized how he wouldn't have missed that game for the world.

"This game meant everything to him and his teammates," he said. Smith's grandmother, Maxine—who had raised him from infancy—also spoke with the NY Post about the night before his death.

She sensed something was bothering him when he came to her room to say goodnight, though he never told her what it was. "The way he looked at me, like he wanted to tell me something he couldn't," she recalled.

The next morning she discovered he had snuck out—and would later learn of his tragic passing. On May 1, 2025, the GBI published an update on the case. They arrested and charged Qua'vion Jakwon Cooper with murder "as a party to the crime" for his role in Smith's killing.

In the ongoing investigation, the bureau determined the 17-year-old allegedly aided and abetted Williams in the murder of Smith. Cooper was a member of the Manchester High football team and played in the state championship in December 2023. He was booked into the Meriwether County Jail.