Teen gang member convicted of murder | News

A jury of seven women and five men deliberated a little more than two hours Friday before returning guilty verdicts on nine of 11 charges against a 17-year-old Milledgeville gang member.

Shane Tassi, who had maintained his innocence during his weeklong murder trial, showed no emotion as Baldwin County Superior Court Clerk Wanda T. Paul read the verdicts aloud in a cozy courtroom.

Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Superior Court Judge Amanda S. Petty asked the clerk of courts to announce the jury's findings on each of the charges.

“We, the jury, as to the first count, malice murder, are guilty; as for the second count, crime of murder, guilty; as for the third count, aggravated assault, guilty; as for the fourth count, crime of murder, guilty; as to count five, trespassing, guilty; as for the sixth count, crime of murder, not guilty; as to count seven, first degree burglary, not guilty; as to the eighth count, aggravated assault, guilty; as for count nine, aggravated assault, guilty; as for count 10, aggravated assault, guilty; and as to count 11, aggravated assault, guilty, this June 7, 2024,” Paul said.

Tassi was convicted of fatally shooting 18-year-old Syee Haavior during a home invasion on February 2, 2023.

Many Havior family members and close friends were present in the courtroom as jurors delivered their verdict in the grand jury indictment against Tassi. Testimony revealed Tassi was a member of the HOP gang, an affiliate of the Bloods on the south side of Milledegville.

Havior was a senior at Baldwin High School and the father of a 2-month-old daughter when he was shot to death at his family's home off Black Springs Road in Baldwin County.

Tassi's lead defense attorney, Matt Tucker of the law firm Tucker & Associates, LLC, of ​​Jonesboro, patted his client on the back as the nine guilty and two non-compliance charges were filed. guilt were read.

Tucker, who received assistance from court-appointed defense attorney Michael Alexander of Macon, requested that each juror be questioned about their individual findings in the case.

Judge Petty asked the 12 jurors three questions. The questions were identical for each juror.

The three questions were: Was this your verdict in the jury room? did you do it freely and willingly, and is that still your verdict now?

Ocmulgee Judicial Circuit Attorney T. Wright Barksdale III and Assistant District Attorney Sydney E. Segers prosecuted the case with the assistance of Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Ethan Brown.

Judge Petty sentenced Tassi, the victim's first cousin, to life in prison without the possibility of parole, plus 80 years in prison for his convictions on other charges related to the case.

Tassi was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs by several deputies from the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office.

Now known as a convicted murderer, Tassi was one of four co-defendants involved in the home invasion turned murder.

The other three co-defendants in the case were Jarius Tremon Washington, Malik Atravon Smith and Darrius Holmes. Prior to Tassi's trial, the co-defendants were involved in plea negotiations with the prosecutor's office. They each pleaded guilty to one count of home invasion and were sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Smith and Holmes testified at Tassi's murder trial.