Location: DeKalb County Jail, DeKalb County, Georgia
Date: September 23, 2026
Accused: Jayden King, 22; Treonte Brintley, 24; Amir Andrews, 19; Dajuhn Bryant, 20; Messiah Hinson, 28
Charges: Malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence, possession of prohibited items by an inmate
Status: Five inmates charged October 8, 2026; Georgia Bureau of Investigation inquiry ongoing
David Addo-Wright, a 24-year-old from Covington, Georgia, died on September 23, 2026, after deputies found him unresponsive in a cell at the DeKalb County Jail in metro Atlanta. On Thursday, October 8, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) said five other inmates have been charged with murder in his death.
His family says he had been in the jail for less than 48 hours, had never been convicted of a crime and had already posted bond. They and their attorneys are asking how he was killed inside a county facility while waiting to go home.
Who Was David Addo-Wright?
Friends and relatives have described Addo-Wright as respectful and kind. According to Fox 5 Atlanta, his family said he was born in Brooklyn, New York, and later moved with them to Newton County, Georgia. He played soccer, attended Clark Atlanta University and later Lincoln Tech, and had signed up to join the U.S. Marine Corps, his family told Atlanta stations.
His father, identified by Atlanta News First and Decaturish as Darrin Wright, who teaches social work at Clark Atlanta University, spoke at a news conference on October 2. "He did not need to die violently. He was not convicted of any crime," he said, according to Atlanta News First.
His older sister, Aisha Wright, a criminal defense attorney, told WSB-TV: "He was an amazing brother, he was an amazing uncle to my son. He was always there."
What Happened at the DeKalb County Jail?
The GBI says deputies found Addo-Wright unresponsive in a cell on September 23, 2026, a Wednesday. He was taken to an area hospital, where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was carried out at the DeKalb County Medical Examiner's Office, and Decaturish reported that the office ruled the death a homicide. Some local reports give the date as September 24; the GBI release says September 23.
His father told reporters that his son called him on Tuesday, September 22, to say he had been in a fight and had been arrested. The following day, he said, a public defender phoned to tell him bond had been posted, Decaturish reported. At about 3 a.m. on Thursday, September 24, GBI agents and deputies came to the family's home to tell them he had died, according to Decaturish and Atlanta News First.
The family told WSB-TV it was his first and only arrest. Officials have not publicly said what he was charged with.
Has Anyone Been Arrested?
Yes. On October 8, 2026, the GBI charged five men who were also being held in the jail: Jayden King, 22, of Stockbridge; Treonte Brintley, 24, of Lithonia; Amir Andrews, 19, of Milledgeville; Dajuhn Bryant, 20, of Riverdale; and Messiah Hinson, 28, of Stone Mountain.
Each is charged with malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, tampering with evidence and possession of prohibited items by an inmate. The GBI alleges that the five attacked Addo-Wright inside a jail cell. All five remain in the DeKalb County Jail, where they were already being held on unrelated earlier charges, the agency said.
All five men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. Investigators have not publicly given a motive.
What the Family and Their Attorneys Allege
The family is represented by the Davis Bozeman Law Firm. At the October 2 news conference, held at the firm's office in south DeKalb, attorney Mawuli Davis said the firm's own inquiry indicated that six men were involved, one more than the number now charged. He also alleged that cell locks were broken, that routine checks were missed and that Addo-Wright's calls for help went unanswered. WSB-TV reported that Davis said more than 45 minutes, and possibly close to an hour, passed before anyone gave aid.
"This should not have happened in a place where safety is supposed to be paramount," Davis said, as quoted by Decaturish.
The family also told WSB-TV that in the hours before his death they received calls from people they believed were gang members inside the jail demanding money, and their attorneys have suggested those calls may be connected. That claim is unconfirmed. WSB-TV reported that the Sheriff's Office and the GBI declined to comment on the family's allegations at the time.
Davis said on October 2 that no lawsuit had been filed, Decaturish reported.
What the Sheriff's Office Has Said
DeKalb County Sheriff Melody M. Maddox responded to the charges in a written statement. "We appreciate the GBI for its work on this case," she said. "Our thoughts and condolences are with Mr. Addo-Wright's family."
She added that her office, which runs the jail and asked the GBI to investigate, will keep cooperating as the investigation and prosecution continue. The parts of the statement published by local outlets did not address the family's claims about locks, cell checks or response time.
What Happens Next
The GBI says its investigation is still open. Once it is finished, the case file will go to the DeKalb County District Attorney's Office for review.
Anyone with information can call the GBI Atlanta Regional Investigative Office in Conyers at 770-388-5019 or the GBI tip line at 800-597-8477.
Timeline of the David Addo-Wright Case
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| September 22, 2026 | Addo-Wright calls his father and says he has been arrested after a fight, according to his father. |
| September 23, 2026 | Deputies find him unresponsive in a cell at the DeKalb County Jail; he is pronounced dead at a hospital, the GBI says. |
| September 24, 2026 | The family is told of his death. The GBI announces its investigation. |
| October 2, 2026 | Family and attorneys hold a news conference calling for accountability. |
| October 8, 2026 | The GBI charges five inmates with murder and related offenses. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is charged in David Addo-Wright's death?
The GBI has charged Jayden King, Treonte Brintley, Amir Andrews, Dajuhn Bryant and Messiah Hinson with malice murder, felony murder and related offenses. None has been convicted.
Why was David Addo-Wright in the DeKalb County Jail?
His family says he was arrested after a fight and had been in the jail for less than 48 hours. Authorities have not publicly stated the charge. The family says he had posted bond.
Has the family filed a lawsuit?
Not as of October 2, 2026, according to their attorney.
MotiveX covers cases like this in documentary form on YouTube.
Sources
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation: press release on the DeKalb County inmate death and charges
- WSB-TV: five inmates charged in DeKalb County Jail death
- WSB-TV: family and attorneys speak about the jail death
- WSB-TV: report ahead of the family news conference
- Atlanta News First: charges announced against five inmates
- Atlanta News First: family calls for accountability
- CBS News Atlanta: report on the charges and the sheriff's statement
- Decaturish: DeKalb jail inmates charged in the Addo-Wright case
- Decaturish: report from the family's October 2 news conference
- Fox 5 Atlanta: family describes Addo-Wright's background
- On Common Ground News: GBI charges five inmates
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