Jamar Quarles is a Memphis man who was convicted of felony murder in Gwinnett County, Georgia, for his role in a fatal 2021 drug robbery in Lawrenceville. A Gwinnett County jury found him guilty in June 2025, and he was sentenced to life in prison plus five years of probation for the killing of 29-year-old Kapri Kadeem Ward.
What Happened on July 1, 2021
Quarles traveled from Memphis to Lawrenceville with Emarion Boyland and Boyland’s 15-year-old brother, Theus Hopson, to rob Ward, who was known to sell marijuana. A fourth man, Aaron Rakir Todd, drove the group to Ward’s apartment at the Durant at Sugarloaf complex on St. Marlowe Drive. Boyland had recruited both Quarles and Hopson for the robbery.1Gwinnett County Government. Memphis Men Found Guilty of Killing Gwinnett Marijuana Dealer
Todd stayed in the car while the other three waited for Ward to come home. When Ward arrived, they followed him up the stairwell toward his apartment. A gunfight broke out. Ward was shot in the chest and killed. Quarles was also hit.2FOX 5 Atlanta. Memphis Trio Sentenced to Life in Deadly Drug Robbery in Georgia
Flight to Memphis and Arrest
Boyland, Quarles, and Todd left the scene. Officers who responded found Ward dead and Quarles wounded. Not yet aware he had been part of the robbery, they took him to a hospital. He left before investigators could question him and returned to Tennessee.2FOX 5 Atlanta. Memphis Trio Sentenced to Life in Deadly Drug Robbery in Georgia
Felony murder warrants were issued. The U.S. Marshals Two Rivers Violent Fugitive Task Force in the Western District of Tennessee coordinated with the Marshals’ Atlanta office and traced the suspects to two Memphis addresses, one near Jeffries Cove and another on Dexter Ridge. A multi-agency operation took all three into custody in September 2021 without incident. Quarles was 16 at the time of the crime and was tried as an adult; he was 23 at sentencing.3U.S. Marshals Service. U.S. Marshals Task Force Captures Three Atlanta Murder Suspects1Gwinnett County Government. Memphis Men Found Guilty of Killing Gwinnett Marijuana Dealer
The June 2025 Verdict
On June 26, 2025, a Gwinnett County jury found Quarles, Boyland, and Hopson guilty of two counts of felony murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, and aggravated assault. Quarles and Hopson were also convicted of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. Boyland was not convicted on the firearm charge.4Patch. Robbery Plot Turned Deadly, Gwinnett Prosecutors Say
The Sentence and Parole Eligibility
Quarles was sentenced to life in prison plus five years of probation on the firearm count. Hopson received the same sentence. Boyland was sentenced to life without the added probation term.2FOX 5 Atlanta. Memphis Trio Sentenced to Life in Deadly Drug Robbery in Georgia
Under Georgia law, a life sentence for a murder committed after July 1, 2006, carries parole eligibility only after 30 years served.5Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles. Life Sentences For Quarles, that puts the earliest parole consideration around 2051.
The Fourth Defendant
Aaron Rakir Todd, alleged to have driven the group to Ward’s apartment, is charged with murder, aggravated assault, and armed robbery. His case was still pending when his three co-defendants were sentenced in mid-2025.2FOX 5 Atlanta. Memphis Trio Sentenced to Life in Deadly Drug Robbery in Georgia