“It was a shock”: Family of murdered RaceTrac clerk react to news of ex-UGA player’s arrest

OCONEE COUNTY, Ga. — Family members of a 23-year-old RaceTrac clerk shot and killed last year are relieved his killer is finally behind bars.

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Elijah Wood was shot and killed early in the morning as he worked his shift at an Oconee County RaceTrac in March 2021.

Yesterday, the sheriff’s office announced that a former University of Georgia football player, Ahkil Crumpton, had been arrested in Wood’s death.

Channel 2′s Christian Jennings talked to Wood’s brother-in-law, Tripp Lemmonds, who said the family was glad to see the arrest, but this is just the beginning of a long road.

“We can kind of work a little bit toward the healing process,” Lemmonds said. “It was a shock to know that someone who had such a promising career chose to take a major part of our life away from us, and end his future and hurt his family.”

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Oconee County Sheriff James Hale said a ballistics match from a July homicide in Philadelphia broke the case wide open.

Philadelphia police said that at this point, Crumpton has not been charged with murder in that case, but he is facing a weapons charge. He’ll eventually be extradited back to Oconee County.

Lemmonds said he hopes Crumpton is convicted and is sentenced to life in prison.

“Us being a God-fearing family, we don’t believe in trading a life for a life, but we do want him to sit behind bars for the rest of his days,” Lemmonds said.

Crumpton played football with the University of Georgia Bulldogs from 2017 to 2018.

The sheriff said that at this point, it appears his motive was robbery.

Former UGA football player arrested in murder of 23-year-old RaceTrac clerk in Oconee County

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