ATHENS, Ga. — A former University of Georgia football player was convicted on several charges in connection to the deadly shooting of a RaceTrac clerk in Oconee County in 2021, said a spokesperson with the U.S. Attorney’s Office out of the Middle District of Georgia.
Ahkil Crumpton, a 26-year-old from Philadelphia, was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by attempted robbery and one count of false statement during the purchase of a firearm by a federal jury seated in Athens on Wednesday.
A news release goes into grave detail about what happened the night of the crime. The charges stem from Crumpton's involvement in the March 2021 murder of 23-year-old Elijah Wood, who was shot and killed just after 1 a.m. while working at a RaceTrac in Watkinsville -- about 15 minutes from Athens, according to the Oconee County Sheriff's Office.
The indictment alleged that then 24-year-old took out a Glock 9mm pistol during an attempted robbery at the RaceTrac, before shooting and killing Wood.
Officials said in the news release the evidence presented at the trial lays out that Crumpton fired one round at close range, hitting Wood in the chest.
"Wood’s girlfriend testified at trial that she was on a FaceTime call with Wood at the time. Crumpton ran out of the store without taking any money or merchandise. Wood died at the scene," the news release from U.S. Attorney's Office stated.
11Alive previously reported that Crumpton was also facing a murder charge in connection to Wood's death. In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the Oconee County Sheriff's Office mentioned that the next phase in the case would be the murder trial.
"A date has not been set yet for the state murder trial," the post said.
As for now, Crumpton faces a maximum of 20 years in prison for attempted robbery and a maximum of ten years in prison for his firearm charge, according to the release. He will be sentenced at a later date but Crumpton will not be eligible for parole.
For nearly a year, authorities worked to make an arrest in connection to Wood's murder.
Another man of Commerce, Georgia, pleaded guilty to making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm on Oct. 3, officials said. The co-defendant was accused of illegally purchasing a gun for Crumpton.
Officials mentioned in the news release that Crumpton was a member of the UGA football team where he played as a wide receiver during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He was a student at the school up until spring of 2021 but officials said he didn't graduate. He was living with a friend at an apartment less than two miles away from the RaceTrac at the time Wood was killed.
During the trial, officials said the friend testified that Crumpton came into the apartment after the shooting, holding a gun, and told him he "didn't mean to do it" and that he "just wanted the money." He allegedly admitted the shooting to the friend.
Four months after Crumpton allegedly shot and killed Wood, he was involved in another deadly shooting in Downtown Philadelphia. Crumpton allegedly fired 13 rounds, eventually killing the man.
The 9mm shell casings were collected by law enforcement and it was later determined through ballistics testing that the gun used in the Philadelphia shooting was the exact same one used in the RaceTrac killing of Wood, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office news release.
When Crumpton was arrested by FBI and ATF agents in Philadelphia, the gun that was used to kill Wood was found inside Crumpton's official 2018 Rose Bowl Game backpack that was given to players after UGA's comeback win over Oklahoma. Agents also found clothes worn by Crumpton used in both deadly shootings, in addition to a loaded AR-15 rifle, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Wood's family spoke to 11Alive in July 2021 about the pain the murder left them with just months after he was killed.
“It gets difficult for me to drive by here,” said Wood’s brother-in-law, Tripp Lemmonds, who is married to Wood’s twin sister.
U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said that he hopes Wednesday's verdict brings some peace to Wood's family.
The sheriff's office shared similar sentiments.
"We are pleased with the verdict and hope that this first conviction in the case brings the family a small amount of peace. We are very proud of all the hard work members of the Oconee Co. Sheriff’s Office and our state and federal partners put into this case," the Facebook post reads.
Officials said the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), FBI, GBI, the Athens-Clarke County Police Department and the Philadelphia Police Department investigated the case, with assistance from U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.