Although a reward of $5,000 is still offered for information leading to arrest, the killing of a young woman shot down in a nightclub parking lot more than a year ago remains unsolved.
“The investigation into the murder of Akeila Rochelle Martin is ongoing a year after her death,” Statesboro Public Safety Director Wendell Turner said in a news release issued Tuesday. “Akeila was shot and killed while in the parking lot the Platinum Lounge Aug. 19, 2012 at approximately 2:50 a.m.”
A large crowd, around 200-300, he said, milled around outside the Platinum Lounge, at 2 Proctor St., at the time, and Statesboro Herald surveillance video captured the incident, although no images led to identification of a suspect. The Statesboro Herald is located across the street from the nightclub.
Newspaper carriers preparing to load their daily deliveries were outside the building when the shooting occurred. One carrier witnessed a black male speaking to Martin just before the shooting.
The video shows a Statesboro police officer in a patrol car driving past on Proctor Street minutes before the shooting.
Then, the crowd scattered in all directions as people fled the scene.
“Statesboro police officers were on vehicle and foot patrol in the area when they heard multiple gun shots and rushed to the scene,” Turner said. “When the officers arrived they located two victims of the shooting; Sadondra Brianna Scarboro and Akeila Rochelle Martin. Scarboro was transported to the hospital and treated for her injuries.”
Scarboro was later released.
Statesboro police Detective Keith Holloway and other officers secured the scene and interviewed “a large number” of people that were on scene at the time of the shooting, he said.
The case was handed over to Holloway for investigation.
After a yearlong investigation, the reward is still being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the offender. As of yet, no one has come forward with information leading to the identification of a suspect, Turner said.
“There are multiple possibilities as to why no one has come forward with information that could help us identify a suspect in this investigation,” he said. “We are not going to speculate as to why no one has come forward. However, we are hoping that by releasing the information again, it will be brought back to the public’s attention and that someone with information concerning the identity of the offender will contact us with details that will move the investigation forward and lead to an arrest.”
Anyone with information concerning this case is asked to contact Holloway at the Statesboro Police Department at (912) 764-9911.
Anonymous tips may be submitted online at www.tipsoft.com or by sending a text message beginning with “TIPSSPD” to 274637 (CRIMES). All information is strictly confidential, Turner said.
Holli Deal Bragg may be reached at (912) 489-9414.