Red Tape Gang: The Athens Murder Case That Exposed A Deadly Georgia Gang War

Reporting and analysis may discuss allegations and online theories. Allegations are not findings of guilt. Verify important details in the cited public record.

Preview Case File

On April 16, 2022, 19-year-old Brynarius Smith was shot and killed at Nellie B. Homes in Athens, Georgia. For nearly two years, the case sat in the public record as a murder investigation with limited answers.

Then the indictment changed everything.

Georgia prosecutors alleged the killing was connected to Red Tape Gang, also known as RTG, and named two alleged members in the case: Shamon Elder Jr., also known as “OT” and “Trendy,” and Jaquavious Smith, also known as “JQ” and “Glokboy.”

What started as one homicide at a housing complex eventually opened into a larger Athens gang-war file involving RTG, Everybody Eats, multiple shootings, a child killed inside a home, and life sentences handed down years later.

The Murder At Nellie B. Homes

The official record places Brynarius Smith on a front porch when he was killed. That detail became the center of the case. Prosecutors did not later frame the shooting as an isolated act of violence. They tied it to a wider conflict unfolding in Athens.

The full case file breaks down the murder location, the two-year gap before charges, the indictment, and how this shooting became part of Georgia’s larger gang prosecution strategy.

The Names In The Indictment

The indictment named Shamon Elder Jr. and Jaquavious Smith, alleging both were connected to Red Tape Gang. The charges included murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, firearm possession during a felony, and gang-related counts under Georgia law.

The full file separates the original allegations from the final court outcome, including the verdicts, the sentencing differences, and how the case moved from indictment to life sentences.

Red Tape Gang Versus Everybody Eats

The state described the Brynarius Smith case as part of a violent conflict between Red Tape Gang and Everybody Eats, also known as EBE. Prosecutors said the feud dated back to 2021 and became tied to multiple violent cases across Athens.

The full breakdown follows the RTG versus EBE timeline without mixing the cases together, showing which incidents are officially confirmed, which details came from local reporting, and which claims still need careful separation.

The Hallmark Mobile Home Park Case

One of the most disturbing related cases came on March 8, 2024, when 3-year-old Kyron Santino Zarco Smith was killed inside his home during a drive-by shooting at Hallmark Mobile Home Park. A 9-year-old boy was also shot and survived.

The state said the shooters were members of Everybody Eats and had gone there to target a rival gang. Kyron was not the target.

The full case file explains how this separate child murder case connects to the wider Athens conflict while keeping the victims, defendants, dates, charges, and court outcomes clearly separated.

What The Full Case File Unlocks

The full Red Tape Gang file includes the Brynarius Smith murder indictment, defendant breakdowns, the RTG profile, the RTG versus EBE conflict timeline, the Kyron Zarco Smith case, related Athens shootings, court outcomes, sentencing details, and the difference between the official record and local reporting.

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