JONESBORO, Ga. — In the early hours of a quiet Sunday morning, the world of 29-year-old Yoqoubie Yarabough was tragically shattered, all because he was, in his fiancé’s heartbreaking words, “just simply doing his job.” Yoqoubie, a young man with a life ahead of him, was gunned down while working at the Live In Lodge – Extended Stay motel on Tara Boulevard in Jonesboro, Georgia, leaving behind a fiancée and a community reeling from the senseless violence.
The fatal shooting unfolded around 12:30 a.m. when Jonesboro Police Chief C.E. Cato’s officers responded to calls of gunfire at the 8240 Tara Boulevard location. Upon arrival, officers found Yoqoubie Yarabough suffering from at least one gunshot wound. Despite immediate life-saving efforts on the scene, the young man succumbed to his injuries. The loss is an especially cruel one, underscoring the arbitrary nature of tragedy that can strike even during the most routine of tasks.
Details emerging from the investigation paint a picture of a routine workplace request escalating into a horrifying confrontation. According to his fiancé, Yoqoubie had been sent to a guest’s room at the motel with the simple but necessary task of asking the occupant to vacate the property. He was merely performing a duty assigned to him by his employer—a situation countless workers face every day.
But the situation quickly soured. The man in the room flatly refused to leave. Yoqoubie, trying to de-escalate and simply execute his job, explained his position, but the refusal hardened. In a terrifying turn of events, the argument escalated violently, ultimately costing Yoqoubie Yarabough his life. The sheer injustice of a man losing everything for doing what he was paid to do is what stings the most.
The manhunt for the shooter is now a multi-agency effort, with the Jonesboro Police Department collaborating with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), the Clayton County Police Department, and the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities are actively working to identify and apprehend the suspect responsible for this brutal slaying. The collective resources of multiple law enforcement bodies underscore the severity of the crime and the determination to bring the killer to justice.
Chief Cato also took the opportunity to address public concern regarding recent violence in the area. He stated that while detectives are exploring every possible lead, there is currently no evidence linking this motel shooting to another homicide discovered just hours later at the intersection of Fayetteville Road and Williamson Mill Road. These separate acts of violence serve as a grim reminder of the challenges law enforcement faces in keeping the community safe.
As the search for the suspect continues, the Jonesboro Police are imploring the public for help. They are urging anyone who may have information about this homicide to contact the Jonesboro Police Department directly at (770) 478-7407 or to submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta at 404-577-TIPS (8477). Yoqoubie Yarabough’s fiancé and family deserve answers, and law enforcement is leaning on the community to help secure the arrest needed to begin healing from this shocking loss.
