All language subtitles for 1rwergergergher

[mysterious music]

- The initial news reports
about the murder was shocking.

- [reporter] emotions are
raw over the sudden loss

Of legendary boxer
vernon forrest.

[camera flashing]

- He had been shot eight
times in the back, arm, legs.

He was a world champion boxer.

- Police didn't know
if it was a hit,

If it was a wrong
place, wrong time.

- We want to try to find
out if there are people

That actually have
vendettas against him.

[dramatic music]

- One witness saw a man come
out of the apartment building

That had been hiding.

- Another witness saw a red
vehicle fleeing the scene.

- The surveillance video
proved to be critical.

- It's like, damn, that's
the key to this whole thing.

- The tragic murder will go down

As one of the worst
crimes committed

Against a sports figure,
not only in atlanta,

But all of the world.

[dramatic music]

[intense music]

- [narrator] atlanta sports
fans have a lot to cheer about.

The city boasts
several iconic teams:

The braves, the
falcons, and the hawks.

But the big peach is also known
for another crowd-pleasing

And hard-hitting pass time.

- Atlanta has always
had a strong pulse

In the heartbeat of
the boxing world.

In the 1970s, muhammad
ali actually staged

His comeback fight to regain

The heavyweight
championship of the world

Right here in atlanta, georgia.

- People from all over the world
came to see muhammad ali box.

Sidney poitier, diana ross.

I mean, it was a really
big deal and since then,

Atlanta has become its own
little special place for boxing.

- We started to see a lot
of up and coming boxers.

I remember going to
the warren boys club

And I had the opportunity

To see evander holyfield
there during that time.

- [narrator] but in
the summer of 2009,

The city's cheers
turned to tears

When one of its boxing heroes
tragically meets his match

Outside the ring.

- On Saturday, July
the 25th of 2009,

It was a very hot
and steamy night

When the unidentified body of
a young black male was found

At about 11:00 pm.

- I was at my home, in the city.

I was advised that
there was a person shot

At the intersection
of mcdaniel and fulton

And I was responding from my
residence to that crime scene.

The new apartment buildings off

Of the I-20
interstate in atlanta.

- The neighborhood where
this unidentified black male

Was found is part of atlanta
that's called mechanicsville.

It is one of the oldest
communities in the atlanta area.

- In 2009, mechanicsville
was in transition.

Investors were trying
to develop that area,

But by all means, it
was a rough place.

- There was a shooting
every other day

That occurred in that
particular community,

But it was certainly a community
that was on the rebound.

- [narrator] by the
time zimbrick arrives,

Uniformed officers and
emts are already on site

And a crowd of onlookers
is standing nearby.

- I had crossed the
crime scene tape

And that's where
lieutenant meadows

Is standing, the
homicide commander.

We have a short conversation
about the area, the location,

And the fact that the
individual underneath the sheet

Has been pronounced
dead by emts.

- We made it a point to wait

For the fulton county
medical examiner's office

Before we removed the sheet.

Once they arrived,
we removed the sheet.

It was at that point,

I immediately
recognized our victim

Was the well-known boxer
from georgia, vernon forrest.

My heart kind of sunk,
because I'm a fan.

- [announcer] vernon forrest!

[somber music]

- From the late
'90s, early 2000s,

Vernon was a great boxer.

- [narrator] the champion
boxer earned four world titles.

- He actually represented

The united states of america
in the olympics in 1992

And afterwards became
a professional fighter

Where he achieved great
financial success.

- I'm a fan and it just
immediately led me to wonder,

Who could have done this?

- This is an area of
town that somebody

Of mr. Forrest's
celebrity status

You wouldn't expect to find,

You know, midnight
on a Saturday.

Why would he be in this
particular location?

- [narrator] stunned
and saddened,

Investigators watch closely

As the medical
examiner's team performs

Its initial on-scene exam.

- I could see the injuries
that were evident on the victim

Through his pink polo shirt.

He had been shot eight times
in the back and arm and legs.

- Those gunshot wounds

Actually entered his
body from the rear,

Which told investigators

That he had his back
turned to the shooter.

- [narrator] as investigators
try to make sense

Of the famed boxer's wounds,

Crime scene technicians begin

To canvas the area for evidence,

But they don't have
to look very far.

- As we evaluated
the crime scene,

We found eight .40
caliber shell casings

That were around the body.

- [narrator] while the
.40 caliber shells

Appear to be the right size

To have caused the
victim's wounds,

Something else grabs the
detectives' attention.

- We were able to find within
close proximity to his body,

A .45 caliber handgun.

- The shell casings that
we found on the scene

Were .40 caliber, so obviously
that gun didn't fire

Those shell casings that
we found next to the body.

- [narrator] investigators
need to find the gun

That killed the boxing icon.

- The medical examiner does
an inventory of the pockets.

His wallet contained a couple
of pistol permits for him

To legally carry firearms
and he had in his pocket,

Couple of loose .45
caliber bullets.

[suspenseful music]

- It went through our
minds at that point

That the .45 caliber
handgun was mr. Forrest's

And there was a possibility
that mr. Forrest

Actually fired at
his assailants.

The condition of the
weapon, it was open,

The slide was to the rear,

Which indicated that
he might have emptied

The weapon itself.

- The fact that vernon
had a .45 caliber firearm

That had been shot empty,
leads you to believe

That there was a mutual
combat situation,

Because the shell casings
that are next to his body

Are not from the firearm
that he has next to his body.

- [narrator] investigators
then catch a break.

They get word from dispatch
that police had responded

To a separate 911 call

Made moments before the shooting

At a gas station just
across the expressway,

And the victim was
vernon forrest.

- The gas station was
located some 300 yards away

From where the body of vernon
forrest was actually found.

- I walked back
to the gas station

Over the interstate bridge.

I was directed to vernon's car,

The jaguar near
the air compressor.

The uniformed cops who had
got there first obviously

Had done a briefing and
interview with the witnesses.

Ernest gilroy, an
11 year old kid,

Was standing with a
uniforme police officer

Near that vehicle.

Ernest was identified to
me as being the occupant

Of the jaguar with
vernon forrest

At the time of the interaction.

- The young 11 year
old ernest gilroy

Was the godson of
vernon forrest.

- So we got the basics
from the uniform officers

That did the initial briefing,

Because ernest had
just gone through

This traumatic incident,

So we didn't want to
compound that trauma.

Ernest had relayed to them
that they needed air in a tire.

Vernon pulled into
the gas station,

Pulled up to the front doors.

Ernest said he went
inside to get some candy.

- [narrator] the 11 year
old informs the officers

When he started walking
back to the car,

He saw a man with a
gun confront vernon.

He says vernon and the
man exchanged words,

Then the man fled.

- Ernest tells the
uniform officers

That after the bad guy runs,

Vernon gives chase and
ernest gets in the car

And locks the doors.

- The young gentleman said

That he had heard shots
immediately after that.

[gunshots firing]

- The store clerk had no idea

What was actually happening
in the parking lot.

As soon as he
hears the gunshots,

He hits the automatic door lock

For the protection of the
customers inside the store.

- Everybody was baffled.

- We didn't know
if vernon forrest

Had been targeted specifically
because of who he was

Or because he appeared
to be an individual

With an expensive car
putting air in his tire

At 11:30 pm on a Saturday night.

- At that point, I
directed detective zimbrick

To make sure that
the gas station

Was taped off and roped off.

- [narrator] investigators
search the area

Around the gas station
for any evidence dropped,

But they come up empty-handed.

- I walked back the path that
was taken from the gas station

To the shooting over
the interstate bridge,

Looking for additional evidence,

If there was any, ballistic
evidence or witnesses.

There were no pedestrians
on the bridge,

But I was able to locate a
single .45 caliber shell casing

That has been fired,
which is consistent

With the firearm that
vernon forrest had.

- [narrator] the discovery
of the .45 caliber shell

On the overpass confirms
investigators' theory

That vernon gave chase
and fired at his attacker.

- We start looking for
additional evidence,

Blood, therefore dna, but
we searched the entire area

And we were unable
to find any evidence

That the individual had been
injured during the shooting.

[dramatic music]

- I immediately recognized
the magnitude of the situation

And I knew that we wanted
to try to solve this case

As fast and as efficiently
as we possibly could.

- Law enforcement
quickly realized

That there had to be
something more to this,

Because of the manner in which
vernon forrest was murdered.

- He got shot in the back
with his back to the gunman.

This was definitely overkill.

[gunshot firing]

- What was this about?

Was this wrong
place, wrong time?

Was this some sort of hit?

Was it a failed carjacking?

Who would kill this man?

[dramatic music]

- One witness reported
that he heard gunshots.

[gunshots firing]

Observed two men running.

- We certainly did
not wanna rule out

The possibility that mr.
Forrest was targeted.

- The fact that he's
a world champion,

We don't know if that's sour
grapes to somebody else.

- I remember dropping the phone

And I remember
saying like, "no,"

Like over and over, like,
"no, no (bleep) way."

- Why shoot him when
he's down on the ground?

There has to be more.

[dramatic music]

[intense music]

- [narrator] atlanta homicide
detectives are on the hunt

For the gunman who
brutally killed

38 year old boxing
champion, vernon forrest,

Shot outside an
apartment complex.

Police are now scouring
the neighborhood,

Looking for any eyewitnesses

Who may be able
to shed some light

On what happened to
this atlanta icon.

- Mechanicsville was
certainly a community

That was on the rebound.

The relationship
from the late '90s,

Early 2000s was fragmented.

We had a couple of
officer involved shootings

That took place in that
particular community.

However, we were in the
process of repairing

Our relationship with the
members of that community.

- So we didn't have an
abundance of eyewitnesses

That would come forward,

Even though every apartment
there had a balcony

That overlooked the street.

- It became important for
me to go into the crowd,

Because there's always
someone in the crowd

That saw something.

- [narrator] the
detectives' hunch pays off.

They find a few neighborhood
onlookers willing to cooperate.

- One witness reported
that he heard gunshots

And then looked out,
observed two men running,

One wearing a pink shirt
chasing another man

Around the building where
he lost sight of them.

- It appears that vernon
had chased perpetrator down

Into the apartment complex

Where he was observed standing
there holding a handgun.

- The witness indicated
that he saw a man

Had come out of the
apartment building

Where he had been hiding

And flagged down a
red passenger vehicle.

- [narrator] another witness
from the apartment complex

Tells investigators she
saw vernon walk away

From the building,
then start arguing

With a different man on
the street moments later.

- There was an exchange of
words between the two of them

And at some point, as vernon
began to turn and walk away

Is when the perpetrator
actually shot him

In the back eight times.

[gunshots firing]

This witness was
actually able to see

That red vehicle as
it pulled up again

And the second assailant
getting into the vehicle

And fleeing the
scene at that point.

- [narrator] while the witness
describes the car as red,

She isn't able to provide
the make or model.

- So based on the
statements of the witnesses,

We believe that there were at
least three people involved

In the actual crime.

First you had the robber,

You have the driver
of the red car

And then you have
the actual shooter.

To identify the
individuals responsible,

We were able to ask for and
obtain video surveillance

From the apartment complex
and the gas station.

- [narrator] given
it'll take several days

Before the security
footage is available,

Detectives are
still in the dark.

Was this shooting a
robbery gone wrong

Or the cold-blooded
execution of an atlanta icon?

- You have to look
at all possibilities

When you're investigating
crimes like this.

We certainly did not wanna
rule out the possibility

That mr. Forrest was targeted.

- The fact that he's
a world champion,

We don't know if that's sour
grapes to somebody else.

If this was a motive
that, you know,

If you take vernon forrest
out of the boxing game,

Does it give somebody
else a chance to move up?

- The next day, law
enforcement had to have

The very sad conversation
with vernon forrest's mother

And notify her that her
baby son had been murdered.

[somber music]

- The family was devastated.

It's always difficult
to tell them

The most gruesome details of
the event and what happened,

Especially this one, I mean,

Shot in the back
this many times.

I can't recall ever
seeing that in my career.

The family couldn't
say that anybody

Had any beef with
vernon forrest,

He didn't ruffle feathers.

He was a true, genuine,
decent human being.

[pensive music]

- Vernon forrest was a
kid from augusta, georgia,

Just two hours east
of the big city,

The sixth of eight children,

A kid who had found
a love in boxing.

- He come from a
humble background.

He wasn't a rich kid, you know,

He was just a local
humble kid from augusta

Who had a talent.

- [narrator] the talented boxer
was a four time world champion,

Compiling an impressive record

Of 41 and 3 with 29 knockouts.

- He was a great boxer,

But he was an even
greater human being.

- The man was selfless,
man, you know.

He put his money where
it really counts,

Did a lot for the community.

- Vernon, he was
just a confident guy.

He had a good spirit about him.

When I started volunteering

At the police athletic league,

Vernon, he lent
his support to us,

Because we're working
with at-risk kids.

- He cared about his community.

He tried to help children
that had tough beginnings

To see that they could
always have a second chance.

- My communication
with the family

Is now we need to know where
vernon was coming from.

We need to know where
he was going to.

Was he meeting somebody?

- [narrator] vernon's
family tells detectives

The boxer was out
late that night

Visiting family with
his godson, ernest,

And was on his way back

To drop the 11 year
old off with relatives.

Sussing out if robbery was the
motive behind the shooting,

Detectives asked if
vernon was wearing

Any distinctive jewelry,
items police could trace.

- Vernon had on a gold ring
that said "four time champ"

And had on a
diamond-studded rolex.

- [detective zimbrick]
they were not recovered

When he was discovered
in the street.

- We didn't know if
they knew who he was,

But we wondered if the suspects

Could have seen the
jewelry vernon was wearing

And made it a point to single
him out as a potential target.

- [narrator] even
though it appears

The killer robbed vernon,
investigators have a feeling

There may be more to
this gruesome murder.

The execution style shooting

Still leaves several hard
questions unanswered.

- The robbery is done.

They got the gold watch
and the big gold rings,

So why shoot him in the back

And then shoot him when
he is down on the ground?

[gunshots firing]

There has to be more.

[intense music]

- [reporter] emotions are
raw over the sudden loss

Of legendary boxer
vernon forrest.

- [narrator] news
of boxing great,

Vernon forrest's grisly murder
immediately hits the press,

Stunning the city of
atlanta and the world.

- [reporter] Monday
morning, atf agents

In fulton county
sheriff canine units

Scoured the area where
forrest was murdered.

- [narrator] the homicide team
is already feeling the heat.

- Shortly after this
murder occurred,

I started receiving calls
from our mayor at the time,

City council members at the time

And media literally
from all over the world

Wanting to know where we
were with the investigation.

- It was all over the news

And we were covering
it wall-to-wall,

Because initially we had no idea

Who had perpetrated this crime.

- We was trying to figure out,

How could this happen
to a guy like him?

- I remember dropping the phone
and I remember saying like,

"no," like over and over,
like, "no, no (bleep) way."

I kinda blacked out on things.

[suspenseful music]

- This case really
involved a whole lot more

Than just a simple robbery.

Investigators realized
that they would

Really have to dig deep in
order to get at the reason

And the motivation for such
a senseless murder like this.

[gunshots firing]

- Vernon had on a gold
ring, gave that over,

Had on a diamond-studded
rolex, gave that over.

It was a very loud
question of why.

Did you have to kill him too?

- [narrator] investigators
work the few leads they do have

And try to track
down the red car

Seen leaving the
scene of the crime.

- The description given
out over the radio

Was basically a red sedan.

We then later on
checked the database

For any stolen vehicles
that were un-recovered

And there were no positive hits

For a red sedan.

- [narrator] undeterred,
the team pushes forward,

Taking a closer look at
vernon's past associations.

- We want to try to find
out if there are people

That actually have
vendettas against him

And so we decided at that
point that I would go and meet

With mr. Forrest's business
manager, charles watson.

- Once law enforcement
speaks with charles watson,

They find out that
vernon forrest

Doesn't have any nefarious
business dealings.

- All of that information
was important for us

To develop so that we could
eliminate possibilities.

- The information that meadows
got from vernon's manager

Was in reference to
the charitable events

That vernon partook in

That further solidified that
vernon was a great boxer,

But more importantly
a decent human being.

- Mr. Watson was able to provide

All of mr. Forrest's
known associates

And we were able to talk
to some of his friends,

Like xavier toliver, one of
vernon's closest friends.

We wanted to get some clues
and leads in the case.

They couldn't think of anyone

That would want to
harm mr. Forrest.

- He didn't have any enemies.

Again, he was a good guy.

- He always was looking
out for all of us,

Somebody who saw the need
and they meet the need.

- He created a a
not-for-profit organization

Called destiny's child,

Which helped to create housing
for autistic individuals

Or people who were living
with different types

Of psychological, emotional,
and physical disabilities.

- The most I rewarding
thing that I get is

When they feel a sense
of accomplishment.

- Atlanta embraced him.

The mayor gave him
the keys to the city.

[gentle music]

- After law enforcement
had the opportunity

To speak with vernon forrest's

Close friends and
family members,

Police really had no leads.

This investigation
was going nowhere.

- [narrator] with
no viable suspects,

Detectives are at a loss.

But 72 hours into
the investigation,

They catch a break.

The surveillance footage
from the gas station

And apartment complex is in.

- One of the things that
law enforcement officers

Always get very,
very excited about

Is when there is video cameras

That could have potentially
not only captured the crime,

But also can identify the
perpetrators themselves.

- The video at the gas
station is definitely dark

In the corner where
the air compressor was

That vernon was robbed.

So we're able to see figures,

But we're not able to identify
individuals with that camera.

- Because the surveillance video

From the gas station
was hard to see,

The apartment complex video
proved to be key and critical.

- The cameras at the
apartment complex

Are crisp, new, and are
very good quality pictures.

We're concentrating
initially on the camera view

That is shot from inside of
the stairwell of the apartment

And you can see out into the
courtyard and to the street,

And that video shows us
an individual run past

The front door of this
stairwell close to the door

And then just a few seconds,
two or three seconds later,

We believe we see vernon
forrest run past the door

And then we continue to watch

To see if we see
anybody coming back.

- [narrator] the video then
reveals an agitated man

Entering the building,
holding a gun,

Exactly as witnesses described
earlier to detectives.

- And then faces the camera,
looks right up at the camera.

[dramatic music]

- When we see him look up
at the camera, we're like,

"man, that was a great shot."

- [narrator] with this
surveillance video,

Detectives are one step
closer to identifying one

Of the three suspects involved
in vernon forrest's death,

The robber, the getaway
driver, and the shooter.

- It's like, damn,
that's the guy.

The robber from the gas station,

That's the man we
need to identify.

That's the key to
this whole thing.

[dramatic music]

- [narrator] three days after
boxing hero vernon forrest

Was violently gunned down

Outside an atlanta
apartment complex,

Homicide detectives get word

The surveillance footage
from the building is in.

To investigators' astonishment,

The security cam video reveals
a key piece of evidence,

The face of one
of the assailants.

- The apartment complex video
proved to be key and critical,

Because that video,
you could actually see

A person of interest actually
look dead into the camera.

- They turn and
look at the camera,

And then they turn
back and look outside,

And then they jump in that car,

And it's the red car as ascribed
by several of the witnesses

As being directly involved.

So at that point it's like,

Wow, this isn't a
witness to the event,

This is the person that
vernon was chasing.

We need somebody to
tell us who this is.

[suspenseful music]

- Once the atlanta
police department view

The video footage in this case,

They made the decision
to enlist the cooperation

Of the media in showing
this video footage

To the general public in
hopes that they would be able

To identify any
potential suspects

That were captured on the video.

- We hoped that somebody would
be decent enough to call in

And identify the individual.

[tense music]

- When the community heard

Some of the details about
this case, they were outraged

And they let atlanta police know

That they wanted these
killers off the streets.

- It's a big loss and you know,
the city needs to make sure

They find the guys
that were behind this.

- You shoot a man in the back,
you know, you a coward, man,

And so I wouldn't mind
having some face time

With (indistinct).

- [narrator] on
August 4th, 2009,

Nine days after vernon
forrest was slain,

His family and friends
gathered to say their goodbyes

To the world champion boxer.

- It was an emotional
day, it was a sad day.

It was crowded.

So a lot of boxers,
a lot of coaches,

A lot of the georgia amateur
boxing association family

Was there.

Evander holyfield was there.

- The world wasn't ready for
us to lose vernon forrest.

Yeah, he meant a lot to
a lot of people, man.

- I just remember just going
and you know, of course,

Showing my respects to
vernon for the last time.

It was just a pretty sad
situation, a sad time.

- It was a rough
day for me, man.

I remember having to leave out
for a minute to get some air.

That was vernon in there,

But it didn't particulary,
didn't really look like vernon.

[somber music]

- I believe in god.

I believe in the justice system

And we want justice
served to the fullest.

- [narrator] as vernon's family

And friends mourn
over their loss,

The media blast sets
off a flurry of calls.

- As a result of the releasing
of the video footage,

Law enforcement received
hundreds if not thousands

Of potential tips
seeking to identify

The individual that
was shown in the video.

- [narrator] one tipster who
says they know the suspect

But asked to remain anonymous,

Goes beyond calling the police.

- Somebody actually walked into

One of the many
precincts in the city

With a picture on their phone

With the individual
that had been pictured

To prove that they knew
what they were talking about

Who this individual was.

So having that information,

We immediately go
to the database

That we have available to us.

We're able to identify a picture

Based on the name and date of
birth that was given to us.

- Ultimately, law
enforcement was able

To identify that individual
on the surveillance footage

As 20 year old demario ware.

They do a deep dive
into his background

And learn that he has a
long and checkered history

Of contacts with
law enforcement.

- But the criminal history
that we saw of demario ware

Was not indicative
of an individual

That would shoot
another individual

Multiple times in the back.

He just didn't have that
kind of a criminal history.

We believed that demario
was with the shooter

That night at the gas station.

We didn't have a warrant
for demario ware.

We knew that he was probably
good for the robbery,

But we knew he was not
good for the murder.

So we wanted to go out
and get his perspective,

His side of the story.

- They're hoping that demario

Would be able to provide
some context to motive.

Did you know vernon forrest?

What was this about?

[dramatic music]

- We were obviously
eager to hear his story.

- Finally, law enforcement
hoped to find out

Why vernon was shot
eight times in the back

While walking away.

[gunshot firing]

[suspenseful music]

- [narrator] atlanta homicide
detectives have identified

One of the suspects
in the brutal murder

Of boxing champion
vernon forrest.

Investigators are
now on the hunt

For 20-year-old demario ware,

The man they believe
robbed at gunpoint

The atlanta icon of
his championship ring

And multi-thousand
dollar rolex watch.

- Detectives discover that
his last known address

Is with his grandmother
rose watson.

- So we went to that location
in southeast atlanta,

Which was probably
less than a mile

From the actual shooting scene.

His grandmother knew
why we were there.

His picture from video
surveillance is on tv.

She said demario was a good kid,

That he had his
bumps and bruises,

But he wasn't a vicious killer.

- Days after the murder,

He told the grandmother that
he was involved with the crime.

Then she says he's gonna
have to own up to it

And he's gonna have
to pay the price

Of whatever crime he may
have been involved in.

- We advised his
grandmother to ask demario

To come to the office for
us to meet up with him.

She indicated that
she would do her best

To convince him to come in.

- [narrator] the following day,

Demario ware makes good on his
promise to his grandmother.

- Demario ware and his
attorney show up at our office.

We were obviously eager
to hear his story.

Demario said that he and two
guys are at the gas station

Waiting for a couple of
other individuals to show up.

They were gonna go to a club.

They see the jaguar
pull to the parking lot.

- [narrator] demario
tells detectives

That's when he and his
two friends decided

To put their plan into action.

- Demario indicates
to law enforcement

That he took off running

In the direction of
the apartment complex.

Vernon then took
off pursuing him.

- Demario says says
he then works his way

To the front of the building

And that's where we
see him on the video

Sprinting out the door
and jumping in the car.

- [narrator] knowing multiple
perpetrators are involved,

Investigators ask demario
about his accomplices,

But there's a hitch.

- During our interview
with demario ware,

He wasn't able to give
us the actual names

Of some of the
individuals involved,

But he was able to
give us nicknames.

- [narrator] visibly shaken,

Demario explains what happened
after he left the building

And jumped in the vehicle.

- Once demario
finishes his statement,

We still haven't figured out
why the shooting takes place,

But he is taken into
custody for the robbery.

[pensive music]

The information that
we obtained was good.

He identifies the two
occupants of the red car

At the time of the robbery and
the planning of the robbery.

- [narrator] with one
suspect behind bars,

Investigators quickly drill down

On finding the getaway
driver and the trigger man.

- Through our nickname database,

We look for individuals
to see if we can come up

With the individual's
actual name.

- We are confident in quante,
the driver of the vehicle,

As being jquante crews.

Once demario gets identified,

Then we look at
his phone records.

Jquante's phone number is there

The night of the
murder and the robbery.

So a warrant is issued
for jquante crews.

We provide that warrant
to the regional taskforce

Of the us marshal's office

Whose job it is to go
out and track fugitives.

[camera clicking]

The next day, he is
taken into custody

At his brother's house
without incident.

He doesn't wish to speak
to the police at all

And he is transported to
the fulton county jail,

Charged with an array of crimes.

- [narrator] with getaway
driver jquante crews in custody,

Investigators turn
their attention

To identifying the
alleged shooter, twin.

The nickname database
turns up nothing,

But for one of the us
marshals assigned to the case,

The unusual moniker
rings a bell.

- He says, "well, I
know a guy named twin,"

And gives us his name
of raymon sinkfield.

I'm able to discover
that raymon sinkfield

Is actually in federal custody

And was at the time
of the shooting.

One of the other sergeants
in the office says,

"well, I know raymon's brother,
twin, is charmon sinkfield."

Charmon sinkfield is not
in custody at the time.

- Law enforcement discover
that he had several arrests

For very violent crimes.

- So to get charmon's picture,

I put together a lineup with
charmon sinkfield in it.

Demario ware immediately
identifies charmon sinkfield

As twin, as the individual
that is responsible

For the shooting death
of vernon forrest.

[tense music]

- [narrator] nearly three weeks

After famed boxer vernon
forrest was slain,

Detectives track down
his alleged killer

At his home in
northwest atlanta.

- He was taken into custody
for the outstanding warrants

And transported to the
atlanta homicide office.

- Finally, law enforcement
hoped to find out details

About why mr.
Sinkfield would choose

To shoot vernon eight
times in the back

While he was defenseless
and walking away.

[dramatic music]

[intense music]

- [narrator] atlanta
police have just arrested

Charmon sinkfield, the
alleged trigger man

Responsible for
the brutal murder

Of boxing champion
vernon forrest.

Detectives are hoping
sinkfield will come clean

And tell them why he
killed the famed boxer.

- He never confessed
to the crime itself.

[suspenseful music]

- Later in speaking
with charmon sinkfield

About the reason why so
many shots to the back,

He believed that it was
wrong for vernon forrest

To challenge the robbery

And leaving ernest in
the parking lot alone.

Charmon indicated to me

That he made that
statement to vernon

And vernon at that point
turned his back on him

And that angered him even more

As a sign of disrespect
by vernon forrest,

And for whatever reason,
sinkfield felt the rage

And fired that gun.

[dramatic music]
[gunshots firing]

That sudden rage,
anger, that to me is,

I can't wrap my head around it.

Search warrants were
obtained for locations

That the individuals that
were arrested had access to.

We were unsuccessful in
finding any of the weapons

Or any of the jewelry.

- Finally, the community,

They were breathing
a bit easier again,

Because they knew that together,

Law enforcement and
the da's office,

They got these killers
off the street.

- [narrator] on
August 25th, 2009,

One month after the
brutal shooting,

Demario ware, jquante crews,
and charmon sinkfield

Are each indicted for
the robbery and murder

Of boxing great vernon forrest.

- In the state of georgia,

The law allows
for the conviction

Of parties who
participate, encourage,

Assist in the
commission of a crime,

Even if they are not the ones

Who actually pull the trigger
and commit the murder itself.

The surveillance footage,

Combined with the
ballistics evidence

And then the subsequent
confession by demario ware,

Makes this almost
an airtight case

And one in which no prosecutor

Would ever want to make
the mistake of losing.

[suspenseful music]

- Fulton county district
attorney's office was dogged

About making sure that
these killers met justice.

- Ultimately, these cases all
individually went to trial.

- [narrator] in 2011,

Two years after vernon
forrest was killed,

Demario ware was convicted
of felony murder.

The following year,

Jquante crews was also found
guilty of felony murder.

- Both mr. Ware and mr.
Crews received life sentences

With the possibility of parole.

- Due to just the
volume of cases

That fulton county
prosecutors are dealing with,

It took seven full years into
2016 before charmon sinkfield

Was able to be
prosecuted and sentenced.

- Mr. Sinkfield was
convicted of all charges

And received a life sentence

With a term of years
stacked on top of that

To run consecutive in effect,
a virtual death sentence.

- I was very happy,
but it still didn't

Bring vernon back, you know?

What it did was, it left
a hole in our community.

- Demario ware was the
type of young brother

That vernon forrest
would try to help

And so it was really sad.

- The murder of
vernon forrest struck

At the heart of so many
people in the community,

Because he was
willing to come back

And give back to his community

And ultimately, it
was his community

That brought about his demise,

And so that leaves many
people heartbroken.

[somber music]

- What I miss about him
most is just being my friend

That was always straightforward.

I would tell him I love him

And that I really
appreciated the time

That was spent with him and
never took it for granted.

- He helped out boxing
gyms all over georgia.

Vernon would want us to
keep doing the same thing,

You know, reaching out to
kids and making a difference

And teaching them the dream
and showing them the right way.

[somber music]