Former UGA football player arrested for murder of RaceTrac clerk in Oconee County
Photo: Oconee County Sheriff’s Office
From Staff Reports
A former UGA football player identified as the suspect in the murder of an Oconee County RaceTrac gas station employee was arrested by law enforcement officials on Wednesday, nearly a year after the crime occurred the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office announced.
Elijah Wood was working the overnight shift at the RaceTrac located in the 7900 block of Macon Highway on March 19, 2021. A masked gunman walked into the store, pointed his handgun at the 23-year-old Wood, and pulled the trigger around 1:40 a.m., investigators said.
After nearly a year of searching, the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office say they were notified in February by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms of a ballistic match used in Wood’s murder. According to investigators, the match showed the same gun was used at a homicide in Philadelphia after Wood’s murder.
After a multi-agency investigation, officials say they identified the main suspect as Akhil Crumpton. Law enforcement arrested Crumpton Wednesday and charged him with Wood’s murder.
“Today was the day Elijah Wood’s family, everyone here at the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, and our community has been waiting for. WE GOT HIM!” the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office posted on its Facebook page.
“It’s a great relief to finally have the suspect in custody,” Oconee County Sheriff James A. Hale Jr. said in a statement. “For the past year Oconee Co. investigators along with our state, federal, and local law enforcement partners have tirelessly worked this difficult case. Although challenging, we were always confident we would find the person responsible for this senseless murder.”
A Philadelphia native, Crumpton attended Los Angeles Valley Community College before to transferring to UGA.
In Athens, Crumpton was a wide receiver for the University of Georgia from 2017 to 2019. He played in 24 total games in his career, according to UGA Athletics.
According to investigators, Crumpton was a student at UGA until 2021, the year that Wood was killed.
Related Articles
Dawson police arrest wanted suspect after Flock Safety camera alert
According to police, May drove into the yard of a nearby residence instead of complying with officers’ commands. He then exited the vehicle and ran into the home on foot.
Jury convicts three in killing of Markel Harper
Three men were found guilty last week in the killing of Markel Harper, bringing closure to a case that took nearly two years to reach trial in Dougherty County.
