Skyler B. McKenzie

Skyler Bernard McKenzie, a 36-year-old man known to friends and family as “Sky” or “Mac,” was a devoted father, a hard worker, and a car enthusiast with a reputation for having a big heart. Born and raised in Atlanta, he was a graduate of Ronald E. McNair High School and worked as a professional truck driver for XPO Logistics. He was the proud father of a daughter and was remembered by loved ones for his welcoming spirit and his role as a protector and provider for his family. Skyler, a Black man, had a particular passion for cars and took great pride in his Dodge Charger. His life was defined by his love for his family and his willingness to always be there for those who needed him.

In the early morning hours of Monday, June 24, 2019, Skyler was doing a favor for a friend, Shantrelle Quarterman. Her planned Uber ride had been canceled, so Skyler and another male friend offered to drive her home. They arrived at The Life at Avery Park apartment complex, located on Charlestown Drive in College Park, a community in South Fulton, at approximately 5:45 a.m. It was a simple act of kindness that placed Skyler in the path of unexpected and fatal violence.

As they pulled up to the apartment, the group was confronted by Ms. Quarterman’s boyfriend, Jamal Williams. Police said Williams, in a fit of jealousy, immediately opened fire on the vehicle. Skyler was struck by the gunfire and died at the scene. Ms. Quarterman was shot in the neck and critically wounded. The other man in the car, who was uninjured, managed to return fire, striking Williams. A neighbor who was awakened by the chaos later recalled hearing the gunshots and the desperate pleas of Skyler’s friend, who knelt beside him, saying, “Come on, wake up! You got a baby, man. You just had a baby.”

The College Park Police Department responded to the triple shooting. Ms. Quarterman and Jamal Williams were both transported to Grady Memorial Hospital for their injuries. Williams was placed under police custody at the hospital. Following an investigation into the incident, detectives identified Williams as the aggressor and the sole shooter responsible for Skyler’s death and Ms. Quarterman’s injuries.

Upon his release from the hospital, Jamal Williams was arrested and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The case proceeded through the Fulton County court system, culminating in a jury trial. Ms. Quarterman survived her severe injuries and was able to testify against her attacker.

In August 2022, a Fulton County jury found Jamal Williams guilty on all counts: Murder, Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. He was subsequently sentenced to serve life in prison plus an additional 15 years.

The case of Skyler McKenzie’s murder is now considered closed with the conviction and sentencing of Jamal Williams. While justice has been served in a court of law, a family continues to mourn the loss of a loving father and son whose life was tragically cut short while he was simply helping a friend.