“He was left there to die alone”: Mother pleads for help as suspect in Adam Hernandez killing remains on the run in Rome

The streets of Rome, Georgia, are usually quiet in the early hours before dawn, but on October 21, that silence was shattered by a violence that a local family still can’t wrap their heads around. Adam Hernandez, a young man who had celebrated his 18th birthday just a month earlier, was found lying in the middle of Woodcreek Way. He had been shot in the back of the head and stripped of his belongings. Now, as the holiday season passes, his mother, Candy Coxaj, is left with a void that no justice can fully fill, yet she is pleading with the public to help find the man police say pulled the trigger.

Rome Police have identified the remaining suspect as Treveonsay Burge. While two others—20-year-old Brandon Charles Griffin and 18-year-old Kimora Heath—are already behind bars, Burge remains a ghost. Investigators believe he might have fled the immediate area and could be hiding out in Atlanta. For Candy, every day that Burge is free is another day she lives in fear that another mother will have to feel the crushing weight of a phone call like the one she received.

The details of that morning are nothing short of a nightmare. Adam wasn’t just a stranger caught in crossfire; his mother says he actually knew the people involved. In her words, they were supposed to be his friends. Instead of friendship, police say the group robbed him and left him bleeding in the street. Adam was rushed to a local hospital, but the damage was too severe. Candy was by his side, holding him as he took his final breath—a moment no parent should ever have to endure.

Adam was more than just a headline or a victim of a “cold-blooded” crime. Those who knew him describe a kid with a contagious smile that could light up a room. He was a talented musician who loved making songs with his friends and was a gifted singer in his school chorus. He was also a hard worker, training with the Home Builders Association to master carpentry and painting. He had his whole life ahead of him, a life built on working with his hands and helping anyone who crossed his path.

The shooting happened near Main Elementary, a detail that forced the school into a “Code Yellow” lockdown that morning. While the children inside were safe, the reality of what happened just outside their gates has left the community on edge. Police have been clear: Treveonsay Burge is considered dangerous. They are urging anyone with even the smallest bit of information to step forward, emphasizing that “piece by piece,” they are putting this case together, but they need the final link.

For Candy Coxaj, the search for Burge isn’t about revenge—it’s about accountability and safety. She describes her son’s killing as an act of pure betrayal. “They left him there to die, alone,” she said in a recent interview, her voice heavy with the grief of a mother who just wants her son’s killer off the streets. She fears that if Burge isn’t caught soon, his desperation could lead to more violence.

As the investigation continues, the Rome Police Department is asking for tips. Whether it’s a sighting in Atlanta or a hushed conversation overheard in Floyd County, any detail could be the one that brings Burge into custody. Until then, a family is left mourning a boy who loved scooters, gaming with his siblings, and dreaming of a future in home building—a future that was stolen on a dark residential road in Rome.