Tuesday, March 19, 2024

State v. Rickey Carter

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by bench trial in the case against an Atlanta man accused of shooting a friend who owed him $35. 

On Monday, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie found Rickey Carter, 65, guilty on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony stemming from the shooting death of Quinlan Parker, 48, on January 28, 2022. 

According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to a call about a person shot at an apartment on Maypop Lane in unincorporated Decatur.  When they arrived, police found Parker dead from a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Investigators interviewed Parker’s wife who said shortly after her husband returned home from work Defendant Carter knocked on their door.  Carter was a longtime friend of Mr. Parker, so they let him in.  Defendant Carter then began to argue with Mr. Parker about money that Parker had borrowed a few weeks earlier. 

Hearing yelling, Parker’s stepdaughter came out of her room and began to record the argument on her cellphone.  Parker’s wife said Defendant Carter pulled out a small black handgun and then she heard a gunshot.  Defendant Carter tried to claim that he shot Mr. Parker in self-defense, but the cell phone video showed Mr. Parker backing away from Carter before he opened fire. 

Defendant Carter left the house and Parker’s wife performed CPR on her husband until paramedics arrived, but he did not survive. 

Immediately following the guilty verdicts, Judge Barrie sentenced Defendant Carter to serve Life plus five years. 

The case, assigned to the Homicide and Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Tauri Thomas with assistance from Assistant District Attorney Emily Donkervoet, District Attorney Investigator Christopher Hollowood, and Supervising Victim Advocate Ikwo Nyong.  DeKalb County Police Department Det. Monts led the initial investigation.