Tommy Williams, a 56-year-old Black man described by loved ones as one of the best and funniest people they knew, was a beloved father and cousin. His life was cut short on the evening of October 8, 2022, during a violent altercation in Macon, Georgia.
Just before 7:00 p.m. that Saturday, Bibb County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 1400 block of Bailey Avenue for a domestic disturbance. While they were on their way, a second 911 call reported a person shot in the 3100 block of Napier Avenue. At the Bailey Avenue location, deputies found Tommy Williams suffering from gunshot wounds. At the Napier Avenue address, they discovered a second man, 24-year-old Brandon Neal, who had also been shot. Both men were transported to a local hospital, where Williams was pronounced dead. Neal was listed in stable condition.
Investigators soon determined that the two shootings were part of a single incident that began with a fight in the yard of a home on Bailey Avenue.
The investigation into Williams's death led authorities to identify Brandon Neal as a suspect. On January 19, 2023, deputies located Neal at a residence on Napier Avenue. After searching the home, they took him into custody without incident.
Neal was initially charged with involuntary manslaughter and booked into the Bibb County jail, where he was held without bond. At the time of his arrest, his mother, Tamona Latrell Howard, was also taken into custody at the same location. She was charged with hindering the apprehension or punishment of a criminal for allegedly concealing Neal.
In April 2023, the case was presented to a Bibb County grand jury, which returned an indictment against Brandon Neal. The charges were upgraded to include felony murder, aggravated assault, involuntary manslaughter, and affray. As of that month, the case was proceeding through the court system.
