Atlanta man sentenced to life for 2020 murder of driver at Lithonia apartments
Gary Davis (DeKalb County Sheriffs Office)
LITHONIA, Ga. - A 24-year-old Atlanta man will spend the rest of his life in prison for the 2020 deadly shooting of a driver who crashed into an apartment building, trapping an elderly woman inside.
In June, a DeKalb County jury found Gary Davis guilty of malice murder, felony murder, first-degree criminal damage to property, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, theft by receiving stolen property, and three counts of aggravated assault.
According to the investigation, the incident occurred on Jan. 30, 2020, when Christopher Eure, 25, and Khalil Winborn, 23, dropped off a passenger at a Lithonia apartment complex. As Eure began to drive away, Davis allegedly ran up to the SUV and fired 16 rounds into the vehicle.
The shots caused Eure to lose control of the SUV, which crashed through the wall of an apartment belonging to 79-year-old Janet Thomas, trapping her underneath the vehicle.
During the shooting, a stray bullet also went into the window of an 11-year-old boy's bedroom in a different apartment. Fortunately, no one inside that apartment was injured.
Paramedics rushed Eure, Thomas, and Winborn to Grady Memorial Hospital. While Winborn and Thomas received medical treatment and were eventually released, Eure succumbed to his injuries.
Shortly after the shooting, a bystander alerted investigators to another building within the complex, where they discovered Davis. Surveillance video of the crime showed the shooter wearing a gray hoodie and black jeans, matching the clothing that was later recovered from Davis. Laboratory testing conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed the presence of gunshot residue on the defendant's jacket.
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A witness inside the apartment provided a statement to investigators, claiming that Davis received a phone call at 9:20 p.m. on the night of the incident. Davis then allegedly grabbed a handgun and left the unit. After several minutes, he returned and made a statement insinuating that "this was how it was going to end anyways."
During the investigation, Winborn revealed that Davis had previously confronted him, believing Winborn was responsible for a home invasion at Davis' mother's residence in August 2019.
Tuesday, a DeKalb County Superior Court judge sentenced Davis to life in prison plus 15 years.