Three men sentenced to life without parole for fatal drive-by shooting in Austell

COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Three men have been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2021 drive-by shooting death of an Austell father who was killed in front of his 8-year-old daughter.

SEE ALSO: Man killed after car crashes into gas station following shooting, 8-year-old injured

What we know:

A Cobb County jury convicted Jermari Ferron, 23, Diomante Plummer, 27, and Claubert Mimy, 24, of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, second-degree cruelty to children, and reckless conduct. Cobb Superior Court Judge Julie Adams Jacobs sentenced each of them to life without parole, plus an additional 40 years.

Jurors reviewed more than 1,500 pieces of evidence during the four-week trial before returning guilty verdicts.

The backstory:

The charges stem from the March 27, 2021, killing of 37-year-old Brian Sclafford-Clemons, who was gunned down while waiting to turn into a RaceTrac gas station less than a mile from his home. He had just left the house with his daughter to get snacks.

As Sclafford-Clemons waited in the left turn lane on Austell Road, a black BMW and white Lexus pulled alongside his Nissan Altima and opened fire. He was struck seven times and died at the scene. His daughter, seated in the back seat, was unharmed.

A witness who pulled the girl from the car said the vehicle was riddled with so many bullets it looked like "Swiss cheese." Investigators later found 26 shell casings from 9mm rounds and a single 300-blackout cartridge case at the scene. A bullet lodged in the back passenger door frame—just inches from where the child sat—was the only round that did not fully penetrate the vehicle.

Detectives with the Cobb County Police Department reviewed surveillance footage from the RaceTrac and nearby buildings, ultimately identifying a black 2021 BMW M440i and a 2006-2012 white Lexus IS250. The video showed both vehicles circling the victim’s neighborhood for more than three hours before the ambush.

Despite the precision of the attack, investigators were unable to find any apparent motive tied to Sclafford-Clemons. The case broke open when a detective discovered an accident report in Atlanta involving the BMW, registered in Florida and driven by Ferron. That led authorities to connect Ferron with Plummer and Mimy.

On Sept. 24, 2021, Cobb Police and U.S. Marshals arrested Ferron in Coral Springs, Florida; Plummer in Miami-Dade County; and Mimy in Powder Springs, Georgia. Both vehicles were recovered the same day in Florida.

During a search of the white Lexus, investigators discovered a spent 300-blackout cartridge case lodged in the grill. A ballistics analysis later confirmed it matched the cartridge found at the crime scene.

What they're saying:

"This guilty verdict delivers long-overdue justice for a family and a community shaken by this horrific act of violence," said Cobb County District Attorney Sonya Allen. "The defendants opened fire from both sides of the victim’s car, nearly striking his eight-year-old daughter. Their actions put every innocent life in our community at risk."

Senior Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Green, who prosecuted the case, added: "These men almost got away with murder. Unfortunately for them, a relentless detective was assigned to the case, determined to bring justice to this little girl and her family. We may never know why this happened, but I’m forever grateful that it’ll never happen again."

Allen credited Cobb County Police and the U.S. Marshals Service for their work in securing the arrests and helping deliver the conviction.