A 19-year-old faces felony murder charges as the victims’ family questions investigators’ account of what led to the shooting.
LAWRENCEVILLE, GA — Two teenage brothers were shot and killed near their family’s Gwinnett County home after a planned sale of vape cartridges turned into an altercation, police said, leaving a 19-year-old man facing two counts of felony murder and other charges.
Jordan Boykin, 17, and his 14-year-old brother, Antoine Boykin, were found with gunshot wounds on Heather Stone Way at about 8:30 p.m. Nov. 4. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. Gwinnett County police arrested Alexander Canela-Panchi, 19, and said investigators believe he had arranged to meet the brothers to sell them vape cartridges before an argument led to the shooting.
Police have not publicly said what caused the dispute or released a detailed sequence of the confrontation. Investigators initially described the killings as apparently drug-related and said the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident with no known continuing threat to the public. Detectives have continued working to verify information gathered in the homicide investigation.
Canela-Panchi is charged with two counts of felony murder, two counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony and possession with intent to distribute narcotics, according to police. The charges are allegations, and authorities have not announced a finding of guilt. More recent reports citing arrest warrants said the transaction involved THC vape cartridges.
The brothers’ family has challenged the police account of why the shooting occurred. Their mother, Megan Boykin, told WSB-TV that she was at work when one of her daughters called after hearing gunfire close to the family home. Their aunt, Genea Harris, said relatives believe money or jealousy may have played a role and disputed the suggestion that the brothers were involved in a drug deal. Police have not publicly confirmed the family’s proposed motive or announced robbery or theft charges.
Harris told the station that Jordan frequently carried cash and that his phone and car keys were not with him after the shooting. Those claims have not been publicly verified by investigators. Police have continued to say their investigation indicates Canela-Panchi met the brothers to sell vape cartridges and that an altercation occurred during the transaction.
Family members described Jordan and Antoine as close brothers who had recently begun attending Collins Hill High School. Jordan was a senior who loved football and was preparing for college, according to his sister, Teaja Ellebb. She said he planned to take the SAT and hoped to attend college alongside her. Antoine was a freshman whom relatives remembered as adventurous and eager to help people in his neighborhood.
Ellebb said the deaths left the family struggling with the sudden loss of both brothers. “They were babies. They were kids, you know?” she told Atlanta News First. “I lost my everything, my everything.” She said her last message to Jordan on the day of the shooting included a prayer that he would return home safely.
The investigation remains open as detectives work to establish what happened before the gunfire and whether additional evidence changes the account released after Canela-Panchi’s arrest. Canela-Panchi remained in custody in the latest reports. Police have not publicly resolved the difference between investigators’ description of a vape transaction and the family’s belief that another motive may have been involved.
Author note: Last updated November 7, 2026.