A 26-year-old dual Nigerian-American citizen, Olaolukitan Abel, has been found dead in custody in the United States, days after his arrest over alleged links to the killing of a Department of Homeland Security officer in Decatur, Georgia.
Arrest Linked to Federal Officer's Killing
According to a statement issued by the US Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, Theodore Hertzberg, Abel came under investigation following the death of Homeland Security employee Lauren Bullis. Hertzberg disclosed that officers of the DeKalb County Police Department responded to a homicide report in a residential area of Decatur in the early hours of April 13, 2026. At the scene, authorities reportedly recovered a loaded 9mm pistol alongside five spent cartridge casings.
Firearm Traced Through Alleged Intermediary
Investigators later traced the weapon to Damon Marquis Yarns, who was said to have purchased the firearm from a licensed dealer in Midtown Atlanta in February. Detailing the development, Hertzberg said, “Yesterday, a special agent with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives interviewed Yarns. Yarns explained that he had been residing in homeless shelters since relocating to Atlanta last year. He allegedly admitted that he purchased a firearm for a Nigerian or British man he knew only as ‘Abdul or Obie,’ whom he identified in a photo array as Abel. Yarns stated that Abel paid for him to travel by rideshare to purchase the firearm. He also admitted that he falsely declared on an ATF form that he was the actual buyer of the firearm. After the purchase, Yarns allegedly handed the firearm to Abel and never had possession of it again.”
Arrest and Charges Filed
Authorities said Abel was intercepted later on April 13 by Georgia State Patrol officers in Troup County. A search of his vehicle reportedly uncovered ammunition and shell casings of the same brand as those recovered from the crime scene. He was subsequently taken into custody and transferred to DeKalb County Jail, where he faced several felony charges, including malice murder, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Hertzberg further noted that Abel had prior convictions, stating, “Abel was previously convicted of a felony for assault of a police officer with a deadly weapon on January 2, 2025, in the Superior Court of San Diego County, California, and was sentenced to probation in June 2025 for four counts of misdemeanour sexual battery in the Recorder’s Court of Chatham County, Georgia. Damon Marquis Yarns, 35, appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher C. Bly and was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending further proceedings. Olaolukitan Adon Abel, 26, remained incarcerated at the DeKalb County Jail. Members of the public are reminded that complaints only contain charges. The defendants are presumed innocent, and the government bears the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.”
Death in Custody Raises Questions
However, in a subsequent development, Abel was found unresponsive in his cell on April 21, according to reports by US media outlet, The New York Post. The report stated, “A UK immigrant and career criminal charged in a ‘pure evil’ killing spree in Georgia that claimed the life of a Department of Homeland Security employee and two others was found dead in jail Tuesday night, according to authorities. Olaolukitan Adon-Abel, 26, was discovered dead in his cell. Authorities performed lifesaving measures on the convicted felon, but he was pronounced dead, according to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office. His cause of death is not yet known, but officials do not suspect foul play and will conduct an internal review.”
Previous Incident of Nigerian Death Abroad
Previously, Legit.ng reported that a Nigerian man, Ademola Oke, was found dead at his workplace in the United Kingdom, marking the third such incident involving Nigerians in the country in April 2026. Details of the incident emerged through a fundraising appeal shared by a family friend, Adejonwo Odutola, on GoFundMe, indicating that the tragic event occurred on April 18.
