Federal Homicide Charges Brought Against Man Who Allegedly Murdered Postal Worker

ATLANTA - Nahjel Malik Williams has been charged with first-degree murder of Dequavious Graves, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier, as well as the use of a firearm during that crime of violence.

"The murder of Dequavious Graves, a letter carrier dedicated to his public duty, friends, and family, was a senseless crime and a horrible tragedy," said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg. "Letter carriers play an important role in our community, and anyone who harms them as they perform their work will be brought to justice in federal court."

"A core mission of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service is the protection of our employees, and if anyone causes them harm, they will be pursued and brought to justice for their crimes. The arrest of this defendant is a testament to the dedication of work conducted by Postal Inspectors along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners," said Rodney M. Hopkins, Inspector in Charge of the Atlanta Division. "With these charges we hope to bring forth a sense of justice for Mr. Graves and his family as they continue to move forward in the wake of this senseless tragedy."

According to U.S. Attorney Hertzberg, the indictment, and other information presented in court: Dequavious Graves was a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier beloved by his colleagues and members of the community, as well as his family and friends. On February 12, 2026, as Graves delivered mail on his route in Decatur, Georgia, Nahjel Mailk Williams allegedly shot Graves and killed him in a premeditated act. At the time, Williams was wanted on a warrant for a prior, unrelated murder he allegedly committed in Atlanta in August 2024.

On May 5, 2026, a federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment charging Nahjel Malik Williams, 24, of Decatur, Georgia, with first-degree murder of a federal employee and discharing a firearm in relation to that offense. Both charges subject Williams to the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty. The Attorney General of the United States will determine whether the government will seek the death penalty. Williams is currently in local custody but will be arraigned in federal court at a later date.

Members of the public are reminded that the indictment only contains charges. The defendant is presumed innocent of the charges, and it will be the government's burden to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, with valuable assistance provided by the Atlanta Police Department, DeKalb County Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Teresa M. Stolze and Matthew R. LaGrone are prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact the U.S. Attorney's Public Affairs Office at [email protected] or (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia is http://www.justice.gov/usao-ndga.