The morning of August 18, 2025, ended in tragedy at the Clear Creek Apartments on Clubhouse Way in Lavonia, Georgia. At about 8:53 a.m. officers found 31-year-old Eric Legrand EJ Thompson Jr. deceased from a gunshot wound in an apartment in the 200 building. Thompson, a Black man known as EJ, was a father to his daughter Karmony and worked at Purina.

Investigators quickly treated the shooting as stemming from a domestic dispute. Witnesses gave a description of a suspect that led to the arrest of Christavier Mikequez Quez Brown after a Georgia State Patrol trooper spotted a matching individual near a nearby hotel. Authorities allege Brown discarded the firearm in woods near the complex; he was charged the same day with felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime, and tampering with evidence.

A Franklin County grand jury later returned a true bill indicting Brown on malice murder, two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault and related offenses. Brown is being held in the Franklin County Detention Center; a bond hearing was continued when his defense attorney failed to appear. If anyone knew EJ Thompson or has information about the shooting, please come forward.