Jaqwan Johnson, 19, of Fort Valley, was sentenced on Tuesday, February 18, 2026 to 45 years, with the first 20 to be served in the Georgia Department of Corrections, after pleading guilty to Voluntary Manslaughter, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the October 2024 death of Anahury Melendez.
On October 5, 2024, officers with the Fort Valley Police Department responded to a residence after receiving a report of a shooting victim. Officers discovered Melendez lying in the front yard of a residence, suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and a deep laceration to the left side of his head. Despite the heroic life-saving efforts of first responders, Mr. Melendez died at the scene.
Through the investigation, detectives determined that the incident began when Melendez knocked on the door of a nearby residence seeking to purchase marijuana. When told no marijuana was available, Melendez became agitated and began throwing beer cans at the home.
Johnson, then 18 years old, was inside the residence at the time. He chose to walk outside and confront Melendez in the yard across the street, where he struck Melendez in the head with a firearm. Melendez, in response, produced a knife from his shorts. Johnson then shot Melendez once in the chest before fleeing the scene. Johnson elected to enter a guilty plea rather than proceed to trial.
“Anahury Melendez lost his life over a senseless confrontation that never had to happen,” said District Attorney Anita Howard. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who choose to bring violence to our communities, and I am proud of the diligent work of Deputy Chief ADA Taylor Wilson and the outstanding investigative efforts of the Fort Valley Police Department. Together, we will continue to pursue justice for every victim in the Macon Judicial Circuit.”
The prosecution was led by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Taylor Wilson.