A 15-year-old boy has been charged as an adult with murder in the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old girl who was killed while waiting for an Uber on the front porch of a home in Ellenwood, Georgia, on November 28, 2025.
Taylor Hamilton was shot and killed after 6 p.m. on Wentworth Avenue in Clayton County. She died in the hospital a short time later. Authorities arrested Adonis Alkarim and charged him as an adult with murder in connection to the shooting.
Hamilton’s mother, Nandi Hamilton, said her daughter had been convinced to go to a gathering at the home with a friend, who was apparently the only person Taylor knew at the location. According to her mother, Taylor was ready to leave and was waiting on the front porch for an Uber when a group from inside the house came out. At some point during that encounter, Taylor was shot.
The homeowner’s doorbell camera recorded the shooting. The video has since circulated on social media.
“Taylor was an old soul, who everyone looked up to as their big sister,” Nandi Hamilton said.
Hamilton was a sophomore at Booker T. Washington High School and a member of the JROTC program. She dreamed of becoming a veterinarian.
In the months leading up to her death, Hamilton had been struggling with the loss of her boyfriend, 16-year-old Dequavious Royalston, who was fatally shot on September 1, 2025. Royalston was killed when his stepfather allegedly mistook him for an intruder in their home.
Nandi Hamilton said other teens had been heckling Taylor about Royalston’s death, and she believes that harassment contributed to the tension at the gathering on Thanksgiving Day.
Hamilton struggled through her tears as she recounted receiving the devastating news about her daughter.
“Planning a funeral instead of Christmas. Thanksgiving will never be the same,” Hamilton said.
According to Hamilton’s family, Taylor was known for her caring nature and willingness to help others. Her mother described her as someone who made good grades, was loved by her teachers and principal, and acted as a supportive figure to her friends.
Alkarim is being held in custody and faces murder charges in adult court. Police have not released additional details about the specific charges or the circumstances that led to the shooting.
The incident has devastated the community and Hamilton’s family, who are now preparing for funeral arrangements during what should have been the holiday season. A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help the family with funeral expenses.
The case highlights ongoing concerns about youth violence and the tragic consequences that can arise from conflicts between teenagers. The fact that the shooting was captured on a doorbell camera and subsequently shared on social media has added another layer of distress for the victim’s family.
Hamilton’s death marks another heartbreaking loss for a family already grieving. The loss of both her boyfriend and then Taylor herself within a span of months has left her loved ones searching for answers and struggling to cope with the senseless violence.
Authorities in Clayton County continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The case will proceed through the adult criminal justice system given the decision to charge Alkarim as an adult despite his age.
For Nandi Hamilton and her family, the holiday season will forever be marked by tragedy. Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving and preparing for Christmas, they are left mourning a young life cut short and a future that will never be realized.
