ATLANTA — A void has been left in the hearts of two families as they grieve the loss of their loved ones who were killed in a shooting at a Buckhead nightclub on Mother's Day.
Family members spoke before Judge Rachel Krause denied bond for Karani Reese, who is accused of killing Mari Creighton and Nykris Ridley and injuring four others at Elleven45 Lounge.
"What I can share with you today is that my heart aches every single waking second of the day imagining what my baby must have gone through as she lay there alone, helpless during the final moments of her life before she took her last breath," said Creighton's mother, Tracey Eason.
Reese, 21, faces murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, according to APD.
A loved one of Ridley's, Dmitree Holmes, spoke on behalf of his grandmother.
"He was a father. This child is now fatherless and will grow up in an irreplaceable void, the void created by a senseless act of violence," said Holmes. "His absence is a constant reminder of the defendant's heinous action."
Eason continued describing her daughter as she fought back tears, pleading for the judge to deny Reese bond.
"She was a gentle soul, including kindness and humility, carrying herself as the young lady that I raised her to be," the heartbroken mother said.
Her mother also spoke about Creighton's character and what she enjoyed doing.
"Mari was recognized as the golden child in our family. She had her own nail salon in the garage," she said. "She had her very own sewing studio, where she even crafted her own senior prom dress. I would miss all of the creative noises in the house that came along with her many talents."
Creighton's niece, Taylor Holmes, who was with her the night of the deadly shooting and was also injured during the shooting, spoke in court on Tuesday.
"What was meant to be a joyous celebration of my birthday turned into a horrifying ordeal. Mari and I were caught in a crossfire, leaving me with a physical and emotional scar that I may never heal from," Holmes added.
Holmes continued about the devastation and trauma she felt after losing her aunt.
"The loss of my Mari, my auntie, my bestie, my girl has a full void in my heart that will never be filled," she added.
Reese's bond hearing comes after his preliminary hearing on Friday.
Surveillance video from the night of the shooting inside the club was shown in court that day. The video showed the moments before the shooting where one of the victims, Ridley, appeared to throw a punch at the suspect, according to Francis' testimony. It also showed the moments when the shots were fired, and devastation hit.
Reese turned himself in early June, weeks after the shooting.
Reese's family previously spoke with 11Alive, maintaining his innocence.
"It’s very terrible. APD needs to do its job instead of going by hearsay from the streets because Karanji did not do that. He’s innocent," said one of Reese's family members on Friday.
His family members later described Reese as a laid-back, fun-loving guy.
"He’s not aggressive. He’s not that type of person," a family member said. "They're just trying to put it on him because of what they’re hearing in the street. They need to do their job and find the real shooter."