In the spring of 2022, the body of 31-year-old Jacob Weaver was discovered in a wooded area near 7th Street NW and Etheridge Dr. NW in Atlanta’s Carey Park neighborhood. Authorities believe he had been killed weeks earlier — reportedly on the night of March 4 — then his remains were dumped and set ablaze in a brutal effort by the alleged perpetrator to bolster his standing within the gang known as the Gangster Disciples.
Despite warrants signed on April 20, 2022, the suspect, Atlanta resident Deaundre Craig, remained at large for more than three years. His name had been featured on the most-wanted list of the Atlanta Police Department (APD) for his role in the homicide connected to the 1100 block of 7th Street NW. Now, Craig has been arrested and booked, marking a major breakthrough in a case once thought cold.
According to warrant documents, investigators allege that Craig killed Weaver weeks before March 23, 2022 — the date when the victim’s body was discovered at around 5 p.m. in the woods. Although the scene was secluded, and the body appeared to have been moved, the warrant contends the homicide itself took place somewhere along 7th Street NW. Once Craig allegedly carried out the killing, he is accused of setting Weaver’s body on fire to destroy evidence and promote his own status within the gang.
For years, APD investigators urged anyone with information to come forward, noting Craig’s name and face were being publicly circulated. The case remained unresolved even as Craig’s photos and warrant appeared in public announcements, including APD’s Crime Stoppers listings. Until his arrest, the case stood as a vivid example of how gang dynamics can lead to cold-case challenges in Atlanta.
Local law-enforcement sources say that, following the warrant in April 2022, the investigation entered a period of detective work to locate Craig — tracking his movements, associates, phone records and potential sightings. The arrest — made this week — underscores that even years later, authorities were able to break through and bring the suspect into custody.
The murder has reverberated in the Carey Park community, where residents voiced surprise at the violence, the body’s discovery in their woods and the apparent link to gang advancement motives. For Weaver’s family and friends, the arrest brings a measure of relief — though not the full closure that comes with certainty of sentencing or justice completed.
As the case moves toward prosecution, prosecutors are expected to allege first-degree murder charges tied to gang activity and arson of a corpse. The arrest raises the prospect of unraveling additional gang-linked violence in northwest Atlanta, and local police say they hope it sends a clear message: even cold cases matter, and gang-connected violence will not remain unsolved indefinitely.
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