🌱 Murder Charges + New Housing And Community Development Division

Hello and happy Tuesday. I'm back in your inbox this morning to walk you through the most important things happening in Dacula today.

First, today's weather:

A thunderstorm in spots. High: 87 Low: 67.

Here are the top three stories in Dacula today:

1. The Gwinnett County Police Department has charged two women with murder for the death of 30-year-old Ashley Bocanegra. According to the department, Antonetta Stevens, 27, and Janine Gonzalez, 17, lured Bocanegra to an apartment in Buford (about 15 miles from Dacula) on Aug. 11 to fight. She died at a local hospital from severe injuries sustained during the fight. The individuals are being held in the Gwinnett County Jail without bond. (The Telegraph)
2. A Gwinnett County man has been sentenced to 25 years for trafficking a 14-year-old girl. Devonta Alexander Williams pleaded guilty to the charges last week. Williams reportedly advertised the girl online for sex in 2018. He was indicted in 2020 by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. (11 Alive)
3. Gwinnett County has created a new Housing and Community Development division. Matt Elder will be leading the new division through the Department of Planning and Development. The division will have 11 staffers administering grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The division will develop over time. (Gwinnett County)

Today in and around Dacula:

• Carvana Hiring Event, At Carvana Inspection Center (10:00 AM)
• I.D.E.A. At Dacula Public Library (4:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Check out this list of the best Dacula area employers hiring for a variety of open positions, including a human resources coordinator position at Talent Connections. Click the link for the full list that includes part-time, full-time, and seasonal positions. (Dacula Patch)
• Today is the last day to submit a photo for the Gwinnett County Public Library's 2022 Photo Annual Exhibition. The theme is "Jumping Through Time." Click to submit. (Gwinnett County Public Library via Instagram)
• The Paint Gwinnett Pink 5K is scheduled for Oct. 15. The race is raising money for Breast Cancer research. Mark your calendar. (City of Dacula)

You're all caught up for today. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a senior writer with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.