Marcelo Mariduena is an Oakwood, Georgia man who shot his brother in May 2025, then posted a series of TikTok videos during the police standoff that followed in which he appeared to confess. The videos went viral, and Mariduena later pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced in 2026.
The Shooting in Oakwood
Police responded to a shooting on May 2, 2025, at a home in the 4700 block of Ridgewood Valley Drive in Oakwood. Mariduena was accused of shooting his brother at the residence. The victim was critically injured. His name was not publicly released.1Gainesville Times. Police Investigating Apparent Shooting in Oakwood Neighborhood
The TikTok Videos During the Standoff
Mariduena didn’t run. He barricaded himself at the scene and remained there for roughly 30 minutes before surrendering to police.2Gainesville Times. Oakwood Man Posted Bizarre TikTok Confession After Shooting Brother During that half-hour, he recorded and uploaded a series of videos to TikTok.
Police said the videos contained an apparent confession. In one, Mariduena stated, “I shot him. He’s trying to frame me for being a vegan.”2Gainesville Times. Oakwood Man Posted Bizarre TikTok Confession After Shooting Brother He also reportedly alleged in the videos that his brother had fled Ecuador for criminal reasons.3Times Now News. Oakwood Man Marcelo Mariduena Arrested After Admitting to Shooting His Brother on TikTok Video The clips spread quickly online and drew national press coverage.
Arrest and Self-Representation
Mariduena was arrested the day of the shooting.1Gainesville Times. Police Investigating Apparent Shooting in Oakwood Neighborhood He appeared in Hall County Magistrate Court on May 23, 2025, and chose to represent himself rather than have an attorney.4Gainesville Times. Oakwood Man Accused of Shooting Brother, Posting Confession on TikTok, Represents Himself in Court
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
The case did not go to trial. Mariduena pleaded guilty to reduced charges, and his sentencing was reported by the Gainesville Times on June 25, 2026.5Gainesville Times. Oakwood Man Sentenced in Viral TikTok Shooting Case The specific reduced charges and the length of the sentence were not detailed in available reporting.
For context on what was on the table before the plea: under Georgia law, aggravated battery against a family member carries a prison sentence of three to 20 years.6Justia. Georgia Code § 16-5-24 Plea negotiations in serious assault cases in Georgia can bring felony charges down to lesser offenses with lower sentencing ranges, which appears to be what happened in Mariduena’s case.