Georgia Man Pleads Not Guilty In Fatal Shooting Death Of 23-Year-Old Cinsere Ward

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA — The man accused of killing 23-year-old Cinsere Ward has formally entered a not guilty plea as the homicide case continues to move through the court system.

According to court proceedings reported by WTOC, Elijah Roundtree appeared before Judge Walmsley and pleaded not guilty to charges connected to Ward’s death. The case stems from a shooting that occurred in Savannah on May 18, 2024.

Savannah police were called to the area of Crane Street and West 56th Street shortly after reports of gunfire. When officers arrived, they found Cinsere Ward suffering from gunshot wounds near Montgomery Street and West 56th Street. A juvenile was also injured during the incident. Ward later died from his injuries, while the juvenile survived after receiving medical treatment.

The victim, Cinsere Ward

The shooting shocked the community and left Ward’s family searching for answers. In the weeks following his death, Ward’s father publicly remembered his son as a positive and sincere young man who had graduated from Windsor Forest High School and attended college. Family members described him as someone with a bright future ahead of him and struggled to understand how his life ended so suddenly.

Investigators spent months working the case before announcing an arrest. Nearly five months after the shooting, Savannah police arrested Roundtree and charged him in connection with Ward’s death. Authorities said the arrest was the result of the ongoing homicide investigation into the May 2024 shooting.

The not guilty plea means the case will now continue through the court process, where prosecutors will present evidence related to the fatal shooting and the defense will have the opportunity to challenge those allegations. No trial outcome has been determined, and Roundtree remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

As the legal proceedings move forward, Ward’s family continues to seek justice while remembering the young man they say had a promising future ahead of him.