Gwinnett man sentenced to life in prison for 2022 murder of woman

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. - A 35-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to the December 2022 shooting death of a woman visiting him at a Lawrenceville home.

What we know:

Ray Charles Evans pleaded guilty to malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony in the killing of 29-year-old Shakiyla De’Von Sample, according to the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office.

The backstory:

The murder occurred on Dec. 15, 2022, at a home on Prospect Church Road. According to police, Sample was visiting Evans when nearby neighbors reported hearing gunshots coming from a guest bedroom. Upon checking the room, the neighbors, who also said they were friends with Evans, found Sample's body and called police.

When officers arrived, they found Evans had left the house.

Police later located Evans in Forsyth County, where he was found naked in his vehicle. Following his arrest, Evans admitted to shooting Sample.

What's next:

As prosecutors were preparing for trial, they said Evans requested a plea deal. A judge subsequently sentenced him to life in prison with the possibility of parole.

What they're saying:

"We offer our condolences to the family of Ms. Sample," District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. "Our hope is that this outcome allows her family to heal."