Macon, Georgia — This is another unfortunate case where guns were used to resolve a conflict over a cell phone, and young people’s lives have been ruined forever. It’s also a situation in which members of the new Homicide Unit, were able to approach this case with laser focus, put together such a strong case, that the defendant chose to plead Guilty rather than face a jury of his peers.
On April 24, 2023, in Bibb Superior Court, Kendarius Hill, 23, pled Guilty to Malice Murder for the May 12, 2020, shooting death of Douglas Stevenson, who was one day shy of his own 23rd birthday. Hill’s girlfriend and another woman had been involved in an altercation over a cell phone, when Terico Little (codefendant with Hill) joined the fray with a weapon and fired shots. Hill, who had not been involved in the original incident, joined in and fired his gun toward Little.
Hill then walked up to a car in which Stevenson, who was not a part of the fight, was sitting and fired multiple rounds into the vehicle. One round hit Stevenson in the temple, killing him.
Afterward, Hill bragged to others about the shooting. The State was fully prepared to begin the trial of Hill’s case this morning when Hill opted to plead Guilty and was sentenced to life in prison. Little is still awaiting trial on Felony Murder and other charges for his part in Stevenson’s death.
“In January 2023, my Office announced the innovative formation of our Homicide Unit, which handles all crimes involving the death of another person,” said Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney Anita Howard. “The creation of this Unit allows the assigned prosecutors to have a laser focus on these most serious crimes. It has further resulted in our ability to work with the Courts to schedule specific weeks for these cases, even beyond our regular jury trial terms. I am very proud to say that the diligent and efficient work of the professionals in this Unit has reaped a multitude of benefits for our victims, their families and our community in allowing these cases to proceed more effectively though our criminal justice system. When confronted with the choice of facing a jury trial, defendants will often decide to take responsibility for their actions, as Mr. Hill did in this case.”
The Macon Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office especially thanks the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office for its help in the investigation and the trial preparation of this case.
