15-year-old Charged with Murder in Elberton Shooting at McDonald’s

ELBERTON, GA – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has arrested 15-year-old Justin Cleveland of Elberton in connection with the fatal shooting at a McDonald’s. The victim was 17-year-old Dontavius Marable, an employee of the restaurant.

According to the GBI, the incident occurred on the evening of December 9, 2025, at around 10:15 p.m., inside a McDonald’s restaurant on Elbert Street. An altercation between Cleveland and Marable escalated when Cleveland allegedly pointed a handgun and shot Marable, who later died from his injuries.

Cleveland was booked into the Wilkes Regional Youth Detention Center and is being charged as an adult with Malice Murder and Felony Murder. Additional charges are expected as the investigation continues. Marable’s body will undergo an autopsy at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.

The investigation remains active, and authorities continue to gather information surrounding the incident.