The weekend fatal shooting of a man outside the Athens-Clarke County Courthouse was the first murder in the downtown area in more than a decade.
Daniel Joseph Macias, 28, was shot and killed early Saturday near the intersection of North Jackson Street and East Hancock Avenue, right outside of the sally port for vehicles that transport prisoners to the courthouse.
The last time someone was murdered downtown was 13 years ago. It happened early the morning of Nov. 23, 2003 when 18-year-old James Phillip Cole was gunned down outside the Insomnia nightclub on East Broad Street.
Authorities Monday morning did not yet know who killed Macias. Authorities charged someone with murder in Cole’s death, but a jury subsequently found the suspect not guilty after a trial in Clarke County Superior Court.
Although no one was held accountable for the Tennessee teenager’s death, Cole’s murder was the impetus for measures designed to improve safety in downtown Athens that included creation of a no-cruising zone in the bar area and the installation of a network of surveillance cameras that are monitored at the 911 center.
Unfortunately, police said the location where Macias was shot was not covered by either the downtown camera system or courthouse security cameras.
Authorities said Cole’s death resulted from a random crime. The teenage visitor from Tenessee was shot by someone who he just met outside Insomnia and argued with.
Although no one is yet to be charged in connection with Macias’ death, police believe he may have known his killer.
“Based on circumstances that are known so far, this did not appear to be a random act,” said Lt. Mike Tyndell, commanding officer of the Athens-Clarke County police Robbery Homicide Unit.
According to police, Macias lived on Riverbend Parkway and worked as a server at the Agua Linda restaurant on Prince Avenue, police said. He appeared to have been well known by segments of the nighttime crowd that works in and visits the downtown area.
Although the shooting itself was not recorded by surveillance cameras, police said the victim and assailant were being recorded separately prior to crime. Cameras also recorded two people who may have witnessed the shooting but fled and did not notify police. Tyndell said investigators were attempting to enhance video footage in an attempt to identify the witnesses, but he was hopeful the witnesses would still come forward on their own.
He said investigators would still like to speak with anyone who had contact with Macias before he was killed. At the time of his death, Macias was wearing khaki pants and a green Polo style shirt.
Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information in this case. Anyone with information is asked by police to call them at (706) 546-5900, or to contact Sgt. Mark Malueg at (706) 613-3888, ext. 298.
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