Man convicted in Savannah groping case now suspect in Atlanta double homicide

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - One year ago Monday, 26-year-old Olaolukitan Adon-Abel was put behind bars after being found guilty of groping or inappropriately touching four women on the same day: April 20, 2025.

A victim said that Adon-Abel did not say anything to her before grabbing her breast. In another testimony, he verbally harassed a woman he groped as well.

This left neighbors like Ahmed Awad shocked.

“It’s crazy that happened a block away, on my block,” said Ahmed Awad, a nearby Savannah resident.

Adon-Abel was banned from Savannah, but let off with a $3,000 bond after a plea deal with the state was accepted.

Atlanta arrest

358 days later, he was arrested near Atlanta.

“It is apparent to us that this is a completely random attack,” said Brandon Gurley, Brookhaven Police Chief.

Now two people are dead with Adon-Abel as the suspect.

Judge Claire Williams, who accepted his Savannah plea agreement that freed him, said that she had to sentence him based on the crimes evidence presented to her, not predict his future behavior.

Williams also said she did not know he was a convicted felon for assaulting a police officer in California three months prior.

“If he gets off Scott-free it’s going to lead to something bigger and unfortunately it did lead to something bigger,” Awad said.

Williams imposed a harsher punishment, extending his probation and Savannah ban from 12 months to 48.

Adon-Abel moved to Atlanta because his brother lived there, but originally was an immigrant from England who obtained citizenship in 2022.

Awad’s dad was an immigrant.

“There’s a right way to do things and it doesn’t change my opinion on immigration, I still think it’s a net positive, but it does make me think ‘hey that guy came over here from England, why are we not vetting people better,’” Awad said.

Williams said that it was the gaps in mental health that failed Adon-Abel. Her full statement is available below:

In the matter involving Adon Olaolukitan, who was charged with four counts of sexual battery and one count of obstruction, I served as the presiding judge responsible for accepting the plea agreement reached between the State and the Defense. The Court’s role in this context was limited to ensuring that the defendant fully understood his constitutional rights and to formally entering the sentence authorized under the law and agreed upon by the District Attorney and the Public Defender.

All parties were understandably concerned about the seriousness of the charges, and the case was reviewed thoroughly. However, no one involved could have anticipated the defendant’s subsequent conduct. Recorder’s Court is legally permitted to impose a sentence only for the offenses committed within its jurisdiction — in this instance, the crime that occurred in Savannah. Additionally, the sentence must be appropriate for the charge committed and not for a more serious crime that may or may not occur in the future. None of us can predict the future. 

Within those legal limits, I imposed a more stringent sentence by requiring a plea to all four counts of sexual battery, 120 days to serve in jail and extending probation from the original plea agreement of 12 months to 48 months, prohibiting the defendant from entering the county for four years, and mandating psychosexual social evaluation and any treatment recommended per the terms of the plea agreement as a condition of probation, with ongoing supervision tied to his treatment progress. 

The failure in this situation does not lie within the judiciary. Rather, this case highlights significant gaps in our mental health system. Our community, state and country urgently need better mental health treatment options that are accessible, affordable, and capable of providing adequate support to individuals at risk and to protect our citizens and communities from those suffering from these issues.

Judge Claire Williams