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A Fayette County jury convicted Jacobean Brown of Marion Boulevard, Fayetteville, Ga., of felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony on July 12, 2024 after a week-long trial.
Brown, 18 at the time of his arrest last year, was charged with firing a fatal gunshot to the head of Madison Gesswein, 15, while she lay on her bed in the basement apartment.
Also arrested at the same time were Justus Smith and Yeshua Mathis, both 18 at the time, all with Fayetteville addresses. There was no statement concerning the other two defendants.
At trial, the evidence showed that on February 20, 2023, the victim, a 15-year old Whitewater High School student, got into an argument through text messaging with Jacobean Brown and his two co-defendants.
After arguing with the victim, Brown and his accomplices took a loaded 9 mm pistol with an extended magazine and cleaning supplies to the victim’s ground floor apartment bedroom.
As the victim lay on her bed with her cell phone, Jacobean Brown snuck in through the bedroom window and shot the victim in the head with that pistol, causing her death.
In The Citizen story following the shooting, the teen was found dead in her bed by her mother in the basement apartment at 6 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, according to Peachtree City Assistant Chief Matt Myers.
The mother discovered the girl’s body Tuesday at 6 a.m. and called police. The victim was last seen alive by her mother the previous evening, Myers said.
The three suspects also were present at the apartment for a time Monday evening, and Myers said police began looking for them within a short time after the crime was reported. There are no other suspects being sought, Myers said.
Detectives quickly identified three suspects, all of whom were the victim’s acquaintances.
One of the suspects was arrested by Fayette County Sheriff’s Office after fleeing a residence in Fayetteville. Another suspect was located and detained at the same residence, and a search warrant was issued for the home. Peachtree City detectives obtained an arrest warrant for the third suspect and continued working through the night to locate him. By the next morning, the third suspect’s vehicle was seized from a residence in Gainesville, GA, and he was arrested at home in Fayetteville.
After trial, the Honorable W. Fletcher Sams sentenced the defendant to a total sentence of life imprisonment without parole plus 5 years and 12 months.
The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Warren Sellers and Senior Assistant District Attorney Daniel Hiatt.
The case was investigated by the Peachtree City Police Department with assistance from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
“Violence by young people is a growing concern across the state,” said DA Marie Broder. “My office is committed to the fight against violence in our communities, no matter the age of the offender. I am grateful to my team and our law enforcement partners for their work on this case, and to the jury for their pursuit of the truth and justice for the victim.”
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