Jury finds man guilty of 2023 murder at Waffle House in Montgomery

A jury has found a man guilty for the murder of another man at a Waffle House on Fulmer Parkway in Montgomery in 2023. 

According to an announcement by Montgomery District Attorney Azzie Oliver the incident took place on May 22 of that year when the defendant, Juqwarn Hartwell, began "arguing and demeaning" an employee. 

The victim, Rodarius McQueen, became involved and an argument broke out between the two before Hartwell reportedly drew a gun and shot him. 

Hartwell and a relative then fled the location with their food, the announcement said. Friends and family of McQueen took him to a hospital where he later died of his injuries. 

“These senseless murders are happening far too often in our community," said Oliver. "Mr. McQueen was simply trying to do the right thing and stepped up to defend an employee who was being verbally abused by a belligerent customer."

"Juqwarn Hartwell should have let it go, taken his food and left. Instead, he chose to shoot and kill an unarmed man, ending Mr. McQueen’s life in the most despicable way. My office will ask for the maximum sentence allowed as I, along with my team of prosecutors, are committed to making sure anyone who believes gun violence is the only way to settle conflict goes to jail for a very long time.”

Hartwell will be sentenced on Oct. 1.