Davion White, Jhabre Wilson convicted in 2021 death of teen

A 15-year-old innocent bystander, identified as Landon Smith, was killed in the deadly shooting that happened on December 31, 2021.

DOUGLASVILLE, Ga. — Two young men pleaded guilty on Friday to murder and other charges after a New Year celebration turned deadly at a Douglas County teen house party two years ago. 

A 15-year-old innocent bystander, identified as Landon Smith, was killed in the deadly shooting that happened on December 31, 2021.

Before the shooting, Davion White and Jhabre Wilson were allegedly roaming through the party looking for members of a rival gang in masks. When they were unsuccessful in finding any rival members, they started a confrontation which led up to the deadly shooting, the district attorney said.

Witness testimony later revealed White and Wilson got into their car and shot at the residence killing Smith. Police originally said four young males from Cobb County arrived at the house party in a car the early morning of Dec. 31, then abruptly left. 

"Landon would have been a senior in high school this year. All of his hopes, dreams, and promise are gone based on the irrational and fatal decision by these defendants to enhance a worthless gang status," said District Attorney Dalia Racine. 

Smith was a member of the baseball team who "touched a lot of people," according to Douglasville Police Chief Sparks.

Initially a total of four people were arrested in the case. One defendant's girlfriend also plead guilty to her involvement, including getting rid of the murder weapon, according to the district attorney. It is unclear if she was one of the original people that were murdered. 

His family previously released a statement last year when the four were arrested. 

"As a family never in our wildest dreams did we think there would come a day where we'd be faced with the devastation of the murder of our son and brother. This has been the most difficult time of our lives. He was our baby and brought immeasurable love to us and so many others," the family statement previously said. "Now he is gone forever, stolen from us by a single bullet in the blink of an eye. The pain that we feel is unspeakable, it is something that no parent or sibling should ever have to endure."

The family also previously addressed the suspects in their statement.

"To the murderers, we hope that this senseless act of gun violence can serve as a defining moment of change in your lives. Because of your decision to unlawfully carry and illegally shoot a firearm on New Year's Eve 2021, you will forever be connected to us," the statement said.

Wilson and White were both convicted on charges of malice murder, felony murder, multiple aggravated assaults counts, possession of a firearm and violation of the Street Gang Terrorism and Prevention Act. White was also convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer.

District Attorney Racine issued statement against gun and gang violence.

I don’t know when it was decided that the value of our children’s lives can be equated to street status. I don’t know when the family structure became so broken that some of our children have been left to be raised by the concept of uplifting and glorifying violence and systems that celebrate the death of children that look just like them. But we are here.

 It is our families and our communities that are left to suffer when our positive and healthy support systems have failed. Our mothers and fathers are left picking out burial plots instead of high school diplomas. I don’t have the answers, but I know that this has to stop. I also know that the only way it will is for us to come together as an entire community to find the solution so we can stop burying our children or sending them to prison for the rest of their lives.

The district attorney's office said that White and Wilson sentencing will be scheduled at a later date.