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Murder in Blakely likely gang related

By Christian Jennings - bio | email

BLAKELY, GA (WALB) - New information in the murder of a South Georgia teenager. The 19 year old was beaten to death by a Blakely cemetery Sunday night.

A 16-year-old boy is charged with the murder and investigators have several other suspects in custody for questioning.

They say it started with a huge fight involving around 20 people. And it's likely it was gang related. Sunday night, 19-year-old Xsavier Sanchez's life was cut short. What started as a party quickly got out of control.

Tuesday paint marked the ground where 19-year-old Xsavier Sanchez was brutally murdered Sunday night. "It was chaos. People were running around screaming about a fight," said Investigator Tim Hardrick.

Deputies were called out to a large fight off Chattahoochee avenue near the Blakely cemetery around 11:30.

"Officers saw the victim laying in the grassy area," said Hardrick.

He was surrounded by about 20 people. Mostly teenagers, ranging from 15 to 25 years old. The group had just left a party held up the street.

Autopsy results show Sanchez was beaten to death. He suffered several blows to the head. "We've arrested one juvenile and we are holding several others pending charges," said Hardrick.

Now investigators and local residents worry the fight was gang related. Tuesday morning, several Blakely buildings, were covered in gang signs and graffiti with messages that read "Rest In Peace".

"It's just sad. Seems like youth today are just missing parental involvement," said Brian Musselwhite. He lives down the street from where Sanchez died.

"I have two small kids. It makes you afraid to let them out. You don't know what could happen," said Musselwhite.

Those who knew Xsavier say you could always find him at Big Mama's BBQ, his family's business. Tuesday, it sat empty. A family remembering the one they lost on Father's Day.

Several items that could have been used as weapons to kill Xsavier Sanchez were found at the scene when deputies arrived Sunday night.

Investigators say they anticipate making several more arrests once they sort out what happened. Suspects could face a range of charges from fighting to aggravated assault to murder.

If you have any information on the murder, call the Early County Sheriff's office at 229-723-3158.

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