One of two men arrested for the murder of the son of a retired Atlanta police detective is charged with shooting him in the back with an assault rifle.
According to the warrant for his arrest, Melvin Williams Evans, 30, of Buford, shot Anthony Tavarez with a rifle last week as the 23-year-old expectant father tried to run away after being robbed.
Evans was the second person arrested in connection with the shooting of Tavarez who was robbed and killed at a Cobb County apartment complex. He was found Tuesday afternoon “hiding in an acquaintance’s residence” in Douglasville. Evans was charged with murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault, among other offenses.
Another suspect, Darius Jarrell Dunn, was arrested Saturday in Austell. He also is charged with murder, aggravated assault and armed robbery, Cobb jail records showed.
Tavarez was the father of a 1-year-old and, according to family members, his girlfriend is carrying his second child. He was the son of retired Atlanta police detective Frank Tavarez.
At about 12:30 a.m. on Sept 16, he was found dead in the breezeway of a building at the Windwood Apartments off Hillcrest Drive near Austell. Tavarez did not live at the complex where he was killed.
The warrant for Evans’ arrest accuses him of pointing the rifle at Tavarez and grabbing his pockets in order to rob him. An iPhone and cash were stolen, police said.
“The accused did rip the victim’s pocket from his pants and said property was removed,”the warrant for Evans said. “The accused then shot the victim in the back while the victim was trying to flee on foot.”
The warrant for Dunn said he also grabbed at Tavarez’ pants pockets. It says he fired at Tavarez with a 40-caliber handgun.
Evans and Dunn were also charged with possession of a firearm by a felon.
They are both being held at the Cobb County jail without bond.
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