Two men charged with murder in Columbus, Georgia shooting

Two men, Waquay Harris, 26, and Tristan Chavez Cook, 19, have been charged with murder and armed robbery in connection with the June 22, 2026, shooting death of 21-year-old Jay’Veon Bell in Columbus, Georgia.

Officers responded to reports of a shooting near 31st Avenue and Delta Street, where they found Bell with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition to murder and armed robbery, both suspects face charges for possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime and, in Harris's case, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Both Harris and Cook were already being held in the Muscogee County Jail on charges related to a separate carjacking investigation, which included hijacking a motor vehicle and aggravated assault. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, August 18, at 1:30 p.m. in Recorder’s Court.