In Session: Suspect indicted for felony murder in Tatem Street shooting

Drew Favakeh, Savannah Morning News
·2 min read

This column is part of a weekly round-up of notable grand jury indictments and court decisions, following through on cases reported by Savannah Morning News public safety reporter Drew Favakeh. If there are cases you're curious about, email Drew at AFavakeh@Gannett.com.

The Judge's Bench for State Court Judge Gregory Sapp inside the Chatham County Courthouse.
The Judge's Bench for State Court Judge Gregory Sapp inside the Chatham County Courthouse.

Man indicted for felony murder in Tatem Street shooting

On July 2, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Nazzareth Thacker for two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault, robbery by sudden snatching, two counts of possession of firearm during the commission of a felony, and theft by taking. According to the indictment, Thacker “did cause the death” of Mahki Hampton by “shooting him with a firearm” on June 4 and attempted to steal a firearm from Hampton.

On June 6, the Savannah Police Department arrested Thacker in connection with the fatal shooting of Hampton, 19,  in the 700 block of Tatem Street, according to previous reporting by the Savannah Morning News. Thacker was charged with voluntary manslaughter.

More: 19-year-old arrested in connection with Tuesday night fatal shooting on Tatem Street

More: In Session: Former Savannah Police administrative assistant indicted for stealing overtime funds

More: In Session: Murder charges dropped in 2022 Quacco Road shootout where woman was killed

Third defendant indicted for felony murder tied to 2022 Quacco Road shooting

On July 2, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Juan Jacobo Lopez with felony murder and aggravated assault. According to the indictment, Lopez “did cause the death” of Maranda Dover by shooting a firearm at a vehicle in which Dover was an occupant.

Maranda Dover, 23 years old at the time, was found fatally shot on the night of April 10, 2022, inside a vehicle at a mobile home park on the 800 block of Quacco Road, according to a news release issued by the Chatham County Police Department.

In August 2022, a Chatham County grand jury indicted Ruben Rios and a co-defendant for the same incident, according to previous reporting. Rios was indicted for two counts of felony murder, aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit a felony.

Dwayne McCloud was named as a co-defendant in the August 2022 indictment. He was charged with felony murder, armed robbery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the indictment, McCloud robbed two men who then chased down McCloud’s vehicle. McCloud and the two men got into a shootout in their respective vehicles, according to the indictment. Rios allegedly shot at McCloud's vehicle, in which Dover was an occupant, killing her.

Chatham County Assistant District Attorney Brian DeBlasiis chose not to prosecute Rios for the murder counts due to "the defendant's agreed upon cooperation with the State," according to a court document. On June 7, Ruben Rios pleaded guilty to two counts of tampering with evidence for the same incident. Georgia law dictates the minimum sentence for tampering with evidence is one year, while the maximum sentence is 10 years.

Drew Favakeh is the public safety and courts reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at AFavakeh@Gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: chatham county georgia court updates for week of July 8 2024