The lifeless body of a 17-year-old girl was found in a Lamar County, Ga. cemetery last weekend, and yesterday, authorities arrested the suspected killer.
22-year-old Jaylan Jashad Ray was apprehended in Tallahassee, Florida in connection with the shooting death of D’Shaunti Kyanni Hunter.
Hunter had at least one gunshot wound when she was discovered dead in the cemetery across Unionville Church in Barnesville on Sunday.
A family visiting their late mom’s grave notified police of the grim discovery: “They looked at the back of the cemetery, about 100 yards away, and thought somebody had dumped trash or something,” police said.
“So they went back there and saw that it was a young lady on the ground. They immediately left and called 911.”
The murder may have occurred less than 24 hours since Hunter was seen alive the previous day.
“This is crushing us,” the victim’s aunt said. “They stole from us. This is wrong. This is way more than wrong.”
It was unclear how Ray had been linked to the teen’s death. He is facing murder and aggravated assault charges and awaits extradition to Georgia.
An autopsy is being conducted at the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Crime Lab.
