Gang ties revealed in trial of two men accused of 2023 Downtown Savannah murder

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - A trial is underway this week for two men accused of robbing and killing a man in downtown Savannah back in 2023.

Court records in the case are now revealing gang connections to the defendants.

On July 3rd, 2023, Devin Smith was shot and killed during a robbery in broad daylight. The shooting occurred at the intersection of Jefferson Street and Duffy Lane, a busy downtown location.

Police arrived at the scene to find Devin with multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to the hospital but died from his injuries.

It took months before the two men accused in the case were arrested, and even longer for the murder case to move through the courts and reach trial.

Now facing trial are 25-year-old Roberiquis Maxwell and 19-year-old Ashton Kohl Johnson.

According to jail records, Maxwell is a verified gang member affiliated with the Crips. Johnson was just 16 years old at the time of the killing.

Both men are accused of shooting and killing Devin while robbing him at gunpoint.

The gang connections in this case have influenced courtroom decisions so far. Maxwell’s gang affiliation with the Crips is documented in jail records. Court documents reveal further evidence of gang ties potentially involving Johnson, detectives alleged.

Court records reveal that a search of Johnson’s bedroom turned up a gang flag displaying the names of three divisions of the Crips gang, including “3x”—the same tattoo Maxwell reportedly has.

During the investigation, detectives noted that Johnson repeatedly lied to investigators and attempted to shift blame entirely to Maxwell, according to court documents.

Detectives still ultimately believe the 2 men acted together,

Prosecutors have characterized Johnson as a younger man interested in becoming a gang member himself.

The gang evidence has become a contentious issue in the trial.

Ahead of jury proceedings this week, prosecutors attempted to introduce additional evidence of gang ties to strengthen their case.

However, the judge ruled that this evidence was overly prejudicial and denied the prosecution’s request to present it to the jury.

The big question now is whether Johnson will take the stand and testify during the trial, and openly place the blame on his co-defendant.

His decision could significantly impact the case, as the prosecution has built much of its argument around the younger defendant’s lies to investigators and his alleged interest in gang affiliation.

The trial continues this week, with more details expected to emerge as the case moves toward a conclusion.