GBI Issues Arrest Warrants for 14-Year-Old in Connection to Sylvester Teen’s Death

UPDATE: Kortezz Thomas turned himself in at the Sylvester Police Department and is in custody. He has been charged with one count of felony murder. He was taken to a Youth Detention Center facility.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) has issued arrest warrants for Kortezz Thomas, 14, of Sylvester, GA, in connection with the death of 16-year-old Ke’aisa Young. Thomas is currently not in custody, and GBI agents are actively searching for him.

The Sylvester Police Department requested the GBI’s assistance in investigating Young’s death, which occurred on Saturday, June 15, 2024.

At approximately 11:15 p.m. on June 15, officers from the Sylvester Police Department responded to a call regarding a death in the 200 block of Shipp Lane. Upon arrival, officers found Young suffering from a gunshot wound. She was visiting friends at the time of the shooting.

Young’s body has been transported to the GBI Crime Lab, where a medical examiner will conduct an autopsy.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the GBI Regional Investigative Office in Sylvester at 229-777-2080, or the Sylvester Police Department at 229-776-8501. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.  

Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Tift Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and prosecution.