Donovan Thomas Jr., Murder Victim in Young Thug Indictment: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Donovan Thomas Jr. was murdered in Atlanta in 2015. He was named in the Young Thug indictment, which was filed in the rapper’s arrest today, WSBTV Reporter Michael Seiden wrote on Twitter May 9, 2022.

Young Thug and Gunna were charged along with 26 other people in a 56-count indictment. Read more about the case here and watch video of the arrest here.

The 28 people who are facing charges are members and associates of Young Slime Life, or YSL, Seiden wrote. Seiden, who wrote on Twitter that he was reviewing the 88-page indictment, said that Young Thug is facing charges of participation in street gang activity and conspiring to violate the RICO Act, and that Gunna is facing one count of conspiring to violate RICO.

“The indictment includes charges of conspiring to violate the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, murder, armed robbery , participation in criminal street gang activity,” Seiden wrote.

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Thomas Was Shot to Death Outside an Atlanta Barber Shop in 2015

Thomas was fatally shot outside a barber shop in Atlanta January 10, 2015, according to an article from WSB-TV at the time of the murder. Two other people were shot and injured, the news outlet reported.

Thomas was 26 years old. The article said another man in his 20s and a 14-year-old boy were both shot in the leg. The shooting occurred on a Saturday night on McDaniel Street in the Castleberry Hill neighborhood. Police described the incident as a drive-by shooting.

Witnesses told the news station they believed a semiautomatic weapon was used in the shooting.

2. A Witness to the Shooting Told WSB-TV She Saw the 3 Men Laying on the Ground

Sugar Thomas, a neighbor who is not related to Donovan Thomas, told WSB-TV shortly after the shooting that she heard gunfire from inside her home. She went outside after hearing shots and saw three men lying on the ground.

“I’m praying for the people who got shot. That’s all we can do because we don’t know what happened,” she told the news station.

3. Young Thug Is Accused of Renting a Car That Was Used in the Murder

Young Thug is facing serious allegations, WSB-TV Reporter Michael Seiden wrote on Twitter, referencing the 88-page indictment filed in Fulton County.

He is accused of renting a vehicle, a 2014 Infiniti Q50 sedan, from Hertz that was used in the murder of Thomas. The indictment described Thomas as a rival gang member, Seiden wrote. The murder occurred January 10, 2015, according to Seiden.

The indictment names Young Thug, whose real name is Jeffrey Williams, as one of the founders of YSL, according to Speiden. The founders are listed as Jeffery Williams AKA “Young Thug,” AKA “Slime,” Walter Murphy AKA “DK,” and Trontavious Stephens AKA “Tick,” AKA “Slug,” Speiden wrote.

4. Thomas Was Shot Multiple Times & Died at a Nearby Hospital

Thomas suffered multiple gunshot wounds to his upper body, police told WSB-TV at the time. He was rushed to Grady Memorial Hospital for emergency surgery, but died at the hospital, the news station reported.

Police told the news station that the victims were outside the barber shop when they were shot, but homicide detectives did not believe they had any connections to the business. At the time, police did not release a description of the gunman or the vehicle.

5. Thomas’ Obituary Said a Celebration of Life Was Held for Him at a Local Baptist Church

A brief obituary was published for Thomas in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, which announced his death and said a Celebration of Life would be held for him. A full obituary was not available on Legacy.com, and the death announcement did not list any family members, a wife, partner or children.

It said:

THOMAS, Jr., Donovan Celebration of Life Service Saturday, January 17, 2015, 1:30PM at Israel BC, 2071 Hosea L. Williams Dr., Atlanta. Visitation Today 4PM-8PM at Liberty Baptist Church. Interment Lincoln Cemetery. Willie A. Watkins Historic West End Chapel. 404.758. 1731

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