Georgia Teen Football Player Allegedly Helped Murder High School Football Teammate Days Before State Championship, Then Played in His Honor
- Victor Nwoko
- May 6
- 2 min read
A 17-year-old high school football player in Georgia has been arrested in connection with the murder of his teammate just days before they were set to compete in the state championship game. Qua’vion Cooper of Manchester was taken into custody and charged with murder “as a party to the crime” for allegedly aiding 19-year-old A’darius Jashawn Williams in the shooting death of Brandon Smith, also 17.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), Cooper allegedly assisted Williams in the killing of Smith on December 7, 2023, following a verbal altercation. All three individuals were students at Manchester High School, and Smith was a defensive lineman scheduled to play in the Class A Division II state championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Despite Smith’s death, Cooper went on to play in the game, which the team dedicated to Smith’s memory.
The GBI stated that during the investigation, it was determined Cooper had “aided and abetted” Williams in the shooting. Williams was arrested in January 2024 for Smith’s murder. The specific details of the verbal dispute that led to the fatal encounter have not been disclosed.
Brandon Smith was reported missing by his grandmother on December 9 after she was unable to reach him. On December 10, a 911 call led authorities to a body found behind a home on 3rd Avenue in Manchester, around 75 miles south of Atlanta. The body was later identified as Smith’s. Police suspected foul play from the outset, and the investigation was turned over to the GBI.
Smith’s grandmother, who raised him from infancy, told investigators and local sources that she believed her grandson had wanted to confide in her the night before his disappearance. His football coach was the one who informed her that Brandon’s body had been found.
The Meriwether County School District released a statement acknowledging the arrests, describing the situation as a “deeply difficult moment” for the community and offering condolences to Smith’s family, friends, and teammates.
Despite the tragedy, the Manchester Blue Devils went on to play in the state title game in Smith’s honor. Cooper, who was one of the team's standout players, participated in the game. The team lost by just one point.
Smith’s grandfather remembered him as a well-behaved, kind-hearted young man who never gave his family any trouble. “I just hate that somebody shortened his dreams like that and cut him short,” he said.
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