Man shot at convenience store dies; police say he was killed ‘execution style’

A man shot Monday at a Macon convenience store was pronounced dead Tuesday afternoon.

Andre Jamar Taylor was shot in the head at M&M Grocery on Montpelier Avenue was pronounced dead at 3:10 p.m. Tuesday, said Bibb County Coroner Leon Jones.

Calvin Stapleton, 40, turned himself in to the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office about 11:30 p.m. Monday, hours after he allegedly shot Taylor.

Stapleton, who was charged with attempted murder hours before Taylor was declared dead, was denied bond Tuesday. The charges had not been changed at press time.

An investigator said in Bibb County Magistrate Court Tuesday that a witness identified Stapleton, and he was seen on surveillance footage from the area. He said Stapleton shot 39-year-old Taylor “execution style” after an apparent argument as Taylor was walking away.

The mourning had already begun earlier Tuesday as men gathered for a cold Corona at the convenience store where Taylor was shot.

A man, who identified himself as “Westside” and a cousin of Taylor’s, told his friends he was the last person to talk to Taylor right before Taylor left the front lobby of the store and headed into the parking lot.

“He loved this hood, and he loved his homeboys,” said Westside, adding that he’s lost his appetite since the shooting. “I hadn’t been able to eat nothing since.”

Authorities say Stapleton — whose nickname is “Cut,” according to a Bibb County deputy sheriff’s report — shot Taylor in the head with a pistol. He also is charged with criminal street gang activity and violating his probation.

“It was point blank,” Westside said. “How you going to survive that?”

Westside said he didn’t know Stapleton or about what the men were arguing.

Taylor is the father of former Stratford Academy and current University of Wisconsin football player Quintez Cephus.

“That’s all (Taylor) ever talked about was his son was going to play in the NFL,” Westside said.

“I just hope that don’t break him,” another man said of Cephus.

“It’s just going to make him stronger,” his friend replied.

This story was originally published April 4, 2017 at 4:08 PM with the headline "Man shot at convenience store dies; police say he was killed ‘execution style’."