Jordan Boykin, 17, and his younger brother, Antonie Boykin, 14, were just steps from home when gunfire ended both their lives. Their mother, Megan Boykin, was miles away when she received the frightening call that sent her racing home. By the time she arrived, her two sons were dead. Now, a 19-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with their deaths.
Gwinnett County police identified the suspect as Alexander Canela-Panchi, 19. Detectives arrested him Thursday, November 5, following an investigation into the fatal shooting of the two teenagers on Heather Stone Way in Lawrenceville. The shooting happened around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 4.
Officers responding to reports of a shooting found Jordan and Antonie suffering from gunshot wounds. Both teenagers were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities later identified them as brothers, and their deaths have left their family struggling to understand how two young lives could be taken in the same incident.
According to investigators, Canela-Panchi had arranged to meet the brothers to sell them vape cartridges. Police said an argument broke out during the transaction, and the 19-year-old allegedly shot both teenagers. Detectives believe the shooting happened during the meeting, although the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the killings remains ongoing.
Canela-Panchi faces two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault. He is also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute. The charges are allegations, and he remains entitled to due process as the case moves through the court system.
For their mother, however, the legal proceedings cannot undo what happened that Wednesday night. Megan Boykin was about 45 minutes away from home when her daughter called, frightened after hearing approximately 10 gunshots. She immediately rushed back, only to discover that the victims were her own children.
Boykin recalled the painful moment when she arrived and struggled to get confirmation that the two teenagers lying on the ground were her sons. She said officials would not even tell her whether the victims were her children. It was a moment no parent should ever have to face.
Jordan and Antonie shared a close bond. Their mother described them as best friends who looked out for each other. Jordan played football and hoped to make the team at Collins Hill High School, while his younger brother found ways to earn money by washing neighbors’ cars and trash cans.
Their aunt, Genea Harris, also spoke about the boys and the relationship they had with people around them. She said the brothers sold shoes together and described Canela-Panchi as someone who was supposed to be a friend of one of the teenagers.
The family’s account also raises questions about the suspected motive. While investigators believe the shooting followed a dispute during a vape cartridge sale, relatives strongly disagree with the suggestion that drugs were behind the killings. Harris believes jealousy and money may have played a role. She also said Jordan’s cash, phone and car keys were missing after the shooting.
The family maintains that the teenagers were not carrying guns and rejects any suggestion that they were involved in gun violence. Their mother, who has six children, is now left grieving two sons at once and seeking answers about what led to their deaths.
Police have described the shooting as an isolated incident, with no known threat to the wider public. Detectives are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the killings as Canela-Panchi faces the charges against him.
For Megan Boykin and the rest of the family, the loss goes far beyond the arrest of a suspect. They have lost two brothers who were also best friends, two teenagers who still had much of their lives ahead of them. Their mother is now asking for justice while urging other parents to keep their children close.
VERSION 2
Alexander Canela-Panchi, Lawrenceville, Georgia: 19-Year-Old Accused of Killing Two Teen Brothers During Vape Deal
A meeting that was reportedly arranged for a vape cartridge sale ended with two teenage brothers dead and a 19-year-old facing murder charges. Jordan Boykin, 17, and Antonie Boykin, 14, were shot on Heather Stone Way in Lawrenceville, Georgia, on Wednesday night, November 4. Their mother says she rushed home after hearing that gunfire had erupted near their home, only to find both her sons dead.
Gwinnett County police identified Alexander Canela-Panchi, 19, as the suspect in the double killing. Detectives arrested him on Thursday after investigating the shooting, which happened around 8:30 p.m. the previous night.
Investigators said Canela-Panchi met with the two brothers intending to sell them vape cartridges. During the meeting, an argument reportedly broke out. Police allege that Canela-Panchi pulled out a firearm and shot both teenagers, killing them at the scene.
Officers who responded to the shooting found the two victims with apparent gunshot wounds. Both were pronounced dead. Authorities later identified them as Jordan and Antonie Boykin, two brothers whose deaths have now left their mother and other relatives demanding answers.
The suspect faces two counts of felony murder and two counts of aggravated assault. He is also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession of narcotics with intent to distribute. The case remains under investigation, and the allegations against him have yet to be tested in court.
But while police have pointed to a dispute during a vape cartridge transaction, the victims’ family has challenged that account. Their aunt, Genea Harris, said she does not believe a drug deal explains what happened to the boys. She suspects jealousy and money may have been behind the killings.
Harris said the 19-year-old was supposed to be a friend of one of the teenagers and lived nearby. She also spoke about the brothers’ activities, saying they sold shoes together and that Jordan often carried cash, his phone and car keys. According to her, those belongings were missing after the shooting.
The family has also rejected any suggestion that the teenagers were carrying firearms. Harris insisted that the boys were not known for violence and said the family’s understanding of who they were does not match the circumstances being discussed in the investigation.
Their mother, Megan Boykin, was about 45 minutes away when her daughter called to report hearing around 10 gunshots. She rushed home, hoping to find out what had happened. Instead, she arrived to find her two sons shot dead near the corner of their street.
Boykin described the shock of seeing the victims on the ground and not immediately being told whether they were her children. She later spoke about the close relationship between the brothers, describing them as best friends who looked out for others and meant no harm.
Jordan had an interest in football and hoped to make the team at Collins Hill High School. Antonie, just 14, spent time washing neighbors’ cars and trash cans to earn money. Their aunt said the boys were known for selling shoes together, while their mother remembered them as good children who cared about people around them.
The family is now left with two funerals to prepare for and questions about why the meeting ended in gunfire. Boykin, a mother of six, has called for justice and urged parents to pay close attention to their children’s safety.
Police say the incident appears to have been isolated, and there is no known threat to the public. Detectives continue working to establish the full circumstances surrounding the shooting as the case against Canela-Panchi moves forward.
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