The man accused of shooting to death one woman and injuring another in Gwinnett County was at the home of his estranged wife for his child’s birthday party, police said Tuesday.
Ohave Whitfield, 40, has been charged with murder and aggravated assault for the Sunday shooting that killed a 53-year-old woman and wounded her daughter, Gwinnett County police said. Whitfield has an extensive criminal history that includes state prison and family violence complaints, records show.
But Tuesday night, Whitfield remained on the loose and could be headed out of state, according to police.
Alicia Johnson died in a Lawrenceville-area home when shots were fired after most of the party guests were gone, according to Cpl. Jake Smith. Johnson’s daughter, Dana Johnson, 31, also was shot and transported to the hospital for treatment.
Whitfield’s estranged wife, Lois, reported at 5:09 p.m. Sunday that shots had been fired at her Crystal Lakes Drive home, police said. Additional shots were fired at the home during the 911 call.
Police identified Ohave Whitfield as the alleged shooter late Sunday, but he has eluded capture. Whitfield was not related to the victims.
“He may be traveling to Louisiana,” Smith said in an emailed statement. “Whitfield may pose an ongoing threat to the surviving victim and her family.”
Whitfield has had eight family violence complaints and protective orders filed against him since 2000, Gwinnett County court records show. Since 2001, Whitfield has been in state prison three times, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.
Whitfield served five years after being convicted of armed robbery and carjacking and was released in December 2008. He was released early from his 10-year sentence, but violated terms of his parole and was returned to prison twice, records show.
Whitfield is 5-foot-8 and weighs 165 pounds, and was last seen driving a teal or green Volvo with Georgia tag PRI4493. Anyone with information on Whitfield’s whereabouts is asked to contact police.
About the Author
