A killer who carried out a “spree” of crime, violence, and murder in 2022 has been convicted of a hate crime after it was determined in court that he had singled out his final victim due to his homosexuality.
Georgia resident Brian Marquel Greene, 28, was found guilty of the March 2022 murders of Glenn Eugene Stevens and Elijah Rasheed, which were initially believed to be random shootings. However, it has now come to light that Rasheed was specifically targeted by Greene because of his sexual orientation.
The victim was buying ice at a store in Macon, Georgia, with a friend when he met his tragic end. His murderer, Greene, was arrested weeks later in early April 2022, and following a comprehensive trial, prosecutors have established the motive behind Rasheed’s shooting.
On the ill-fated evening, after briefly locking eyes with Rasheed, Greene was captured on CCTV pulling out a 9mm firearm and aiming it at Rasheed’s car as it left the parking lot. The shot fired by Greene sadly pierced the vehicle’s boot and hit Rasheed in the back, resulting in his death later in hospital.
Prosecutor Michael Parrish described to the court how the murderer and Rasheed made eye contact as Greene approached his vehicle, although no words were exchanged between them, reports the Mirror.
Parrish told the court, “We are here to convict a spree killer. That’s what he did. He went on a run. He had a week. He went to commit an armed robbery, possibly a carjacking, and killed someone. A week later, he sees someone, makes eye contact with them, and kills them too.”
During the trial, it was exposed that Rasheed fell victim to a heinous crime driven by hatred towards the LGBTQ+ community. Stevens, meanwhile, met a lethal end not for who he was, but for being inadvertently caught up in violence – he was shot thrice by Greene while on a first date, a robbery gone fatally wrong.
Stevens attempted to stop the robbery when Greene emerged with a firearm, only to be shot dead in his efforts. His date survived unharmed after making desperate attempts to save him, including calling the police and giving chest compressions.
She would later stand in court as a key witness against Greene. Accused of murder, aggravated assault upon other victims, and the illegal possession of a firearm during these flagrant crimes, Greene faces a verdict which could send him to prison for life.
