Authorities aren't saying which of the four teenage suspects they have in custody shot and killed a Cumming grocery store security guard Sunday night.
Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton said the suspects, at least two of whom are county residents, have been charged in connection with the incident, which occurred at Ingles on Canton Road.
The fourth suspect, 19-year-old Nakitta J. Holmes of Buford, was arrested early Tuesday and charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery.
On Monday, authorities charged Sharod Johnson, 18, of Ballybandon Court and a 16-year-old boy with one count each of murder and armed robbery.
Tyrice Kendall Adside, 18, of Spencer Street has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery.
According to the sheriff's office, the three adults have first appearance hearings Wednesday in Magistrate Court. No bonds have been set.
David Casto, a 37-year-old security guard from Winder, was disarmed before being shot in the head, authorities said.
Casto was employed by Executive Security Services of Atlanta, which provided security at the store.
Paxton said another male teenager has been questioned but not charged in connection with the case.
Johnson was not with the other three suspects when they were arrested Monday afternoon at the Mall of Georgia in Gwinnett County.
Sheriff's deputies and Gwinnett County police found Holmes about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Karleen Chalker, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, said officers were talking with Holmes' girlfriend when they saw him walking down the street.
Paxton declined to say who committed what he called “an absolutely senseless killing.”
“From the evidence we saw at the scene and how this evolved, the security guard was not a threat at the time that he was shot,” Paxton said. “So we were very perplexed as to what caused or why they
committed that act.”
Paxton noted that Casto was outnumbered and his wrists were bound with duct tape when he was shot.
Chalker did not know if the weapon used was Casto's or if his gun has been found.
While they're not saying who shot Casto, authorities have determined that Johnson, a cashier at the store, worked with the other suspects.
“The store was already closed yet the back door was mysteriously unlocked,” Paxton said.
He said Johnson, Casto and a female employee were in the back of the store when the suspects entered. No one else was inside.
The three were bound with duct tape and two of the gunmen took Johnson and the female employee to the store’s office. Another suspect remained in the back with Casto.
When they returned, Johnson and the female employee were left in the cooler with Casto’s body.
After the suspects left with an undisclosed amount of money, Johnson and the woman were able to get free about 11:30 p.m. and call 911.
Paxton said Johnson was initially considered a witness and investigators soon found inconsistencies in his version of events.
“About noon (Monday) Mr. Johnson confided in us that he was in fact involved in the armed robbery, that he was complicit in it and that he received instructions from the other individuals on what he was to do,” he said.
The sheriff added that Johnson told authorities he was supposed to lure another employee and Casto to the back of the store.
The store had no surveillance cameras and those of neighboring businesses produced no evidence, according to Paxton.
He explained that Sheriff’s Sgt. Scotty Spriggs visited a nearby Waffle House, where an employee told him about three men who met there Saturday night.
Johnson was one of the men captured on the restaurant’s video footage.
Jennifer Caracciolo, Forsyth County Schools spokeswoman, said Johnson graduated in May from West Forsyth High School.
Adside is a graduate of the Academy at Night, she said, while the other suspects did not attend local schools.
The investigation will not bring back Casto’s life, but Paxton vowed that “there will be justice.”
Forsyth County Sheriff Ted Paxton said the suspects, at least two of whom are county residents, have been charged in connection with the incident, which occurred at Ingles on Canton Road.
The fourth suspect, 19-year-old Nakitta J. Holmes of Buford, was arrested early Tuesday and charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery.
On Monday, authorities charged Sharod Johnson, 18, of Ballybandon Court and a 16-year-old boy with one count each of murder and armed robbery.
Tyrice Kendall Adside, 18, of Spencer Street has been charged with one count of murder and two counts of armed robbery.
According to the sheriff's office, the three adults have first appearance hearings Wednesday in Magistrate Court. No bonds have been set.
David Casto, a 37-year-old security guard from Winder, was disarmed before being shot in the head, authorities said.
Casto was employed by Executive Security Services of Atlanta, which provided security at the store.
Paxton said another male teenager has been questioned but not charged in connection with the case.
Johnson was not with the other three suspects when they were arrested Monday afternoon at the Mall of Georgia in Gwinnett County.
Sheriff's deputies and Gwinnett County police found Holmes about 12:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Karleen Chalker, spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office, said officers were talking with Holmes' girlfriend when they saw him walking down the street.
Paxton declined to say who committed what he called “an absolutely senseless killing.”
“From the evidence we saw at the scene and how this evolved, the security guard was not a threat at the time that he was shot,” Paxton said. “So we were very perplexed as to what caused or why they
committed that act.”
Paxton noted that Casto was outnumbered and his wrists were bound with duct tape when he was shot.
Chalker did not know if the weapon used was Casto's or if his gun has been found.
While they're not saying who shot Casto, authorities have determined that Johnson, a cashier at the store, worked with the other suspects.
“The store was already closed yet the back door was mysteriously unlocked,” Paxton said.
He said Johnson, Casto and a female employee were in the back of the store when the suspects entered. No one else was inside.
The three were bound with duct tape and two of the gunmen took Johnson and the female employee to the store’s office. Another suspect remained in the back with Casto.
When they returned, Johnson and the female employee were left in the cooler with Casto’s body.
After the suspects left with an undisclosed amount of money, Johnson and the woman were able to get free about 11:30 p.m. and call 911.
Paxton said Johnson was initially considered a witness and investigators soon found inconsistencies in his version of events.
“About noon (Monday) Mr. Johnson confided in us that he was in fact involved in the armed robbery, that he was complicit in it and that he received instructions from the other individuals on what he was to do,” he said.
The sheriff added that Johnson told authorities he was supposed to lure another employee and Casto to the back of the store.
The store had no surveillance cameras and those of neighboring businesses produced no evidence, according to Paxton.
He explained that Sheriff’s Sgt. Scotty Spriggs visited a nearby Waffle House, where an employee told him about three men who met there Saturday night.
Johnson was one of the men captured on the restaurant’s video footage.
Jennifer Caracciolo, Forsyth County Schools spokeswoman, said Johnson graduated in May from West Forsyth High School.
Adside is a graduate of the Academy at Night, she said, while the other suspects did not attend local schools.
The investigation will not bring back Casto’s life, but Paxton vowed that “there will be justice.”