A former UGA wide receiver was sentenced Monday for the 2021 murder of a gas station clerk in Oconee County.
According to the U.S. Attorney's office of the Middle District of Georgia, Ahkil Nasir Crumpton, 26, of Philadelphia, was sentenced to a total of 30 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Crumpton was sentenced to the statutory maximum of 240 months in prison for interference with commerce by attempted robbery and 120 months in prison for false statements during the purchase of a firearm by U.S. District Judge Tilman “Tripp” Self, III.
According to court documents, Crumpton entered the RaceTrac gas station on Macon Highway in Watkinsville on Mar. 19, 2021. Elijah Wood was working as the store clerk, filling in for a sick coworker.
Crumpton was captured on surveillance camera exiting and then reentering the store at around 1:15 a.m. He had his face covered and was wearing dark-colored clothing and football gloves.
When Crumpton returned he approached Wood, who was standing behind the counter at the cash register.
Crumpton pointed a Glock 19 with a weapon mounted light at Wood, firing one round at close range toward Wood, striking him in the chest. Wood died at the scene.
Wood’s girlfriend testified at trial that she was on a FaceTime call with him at the time.
Crumpton exited the store without taking any money or merchandise.
The Oconee County Sheriff’s Office located one 9mm shell casing from the counter between two of the cash registers.
“Ahkil Crumpton’s violent crime ended Elijah Wood’s young life and has been the cause of immeasurable pain to many people in the Oconee County community and beyond,” U.S. Attorney Peter D. Leary said. “Local, state and federal agencies have worked tirelessly to seek justice on behalf of Elijah. Our hope is the conclusion of the federal case offers some peace for all those who have been affected by this tragedy.”
Four months later, Crumpton was spotted leaving the South Street Diner at 140 South Street, Philadelphia, PA, at 3:18 a.m. to retrieve a Glock 43 pistol from a vehicle and was approached by Anthony Jones.
Surveillance video captured the incident between Crumpton and Jones.
Jones held Crumpton at gunpoint and appeared to grab the car keys out of Crumpton’s left hand. Jones also removed the Glock 43 from Crumpton's right pocket.
Jones then turned around following the robbery and began to run, Crumpton pulled a Glock 19 pistol from his waistband and fired 13 gunshots that struck and killed Jones.
The spent 9mm shell casings ejected from Crumpton’s handgun were collected by law enforcement and later submitted to ATF’s National Integrated Ballistic Information Network for comparison testing.
The testing confirmed that the gun used in the RaceTrac murder was the same firearm used in the Philadelphia shooting.
The FBI and ATF arrested Crumpton on Mar. 16, 2022, in Philadelphia. Agents located the Glock 19 pistol in his backpack that was confirmed in ballistics testing to be the one used in the shooting deaths of Wood and Jones.
Agents also found clothing worn by Crumpton in both shooting deaths and a loaded AR-15 rifle.
“NIBIN is proven technology used to link the criminal use of firearms with the person who pulled the trigger,” ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Beau Kolodka said. “In this case, NIBIN allowed investigators to successfully connect both shootings to the defendant. Working alongside our local, state and federal partners, ATF is committed to using every resource at our disposal to reduce violent crime and hold violent offenders accountable.”
Crumpton was a member of the UGA football team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons. At the time of Wood's murder, Crumpton lived in an apartment with his teammate Juwan Taylor.
Taylor testified that Crumpton came to their apartment after the shooting holding the pistol and was visibly upset saying, “I didn’t mean to do it – I just wanted the money, I just shot him at the store, at the store.” Crumpton explained further that when he lifted the gun, it “just went off.” Taylor said he was frightened for his safety and did not tell anyone.
Co-defendant James North Armstrong, 35, of Commerce, testified that Crumtpon was a client of his tattoo shop. Armstrong stated that Crumpton asked him to buy a gun for him.
Armstrong admitted to illegally purchasing the Glock 19 for Crumpton on Feb 8., 2021 at the Franklin Gun Shop in Athens.
Armstrong said he falsely claimed to be the buyer on the Firearms Transaction Record-Form 4473.
Armstrong pleaded guilty to one count of false statements during the purchase of a firearm on Oct. 3, 2023, and faces a maximum of ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing for Armstrong is scheduled for Mar. 20.
