Two high-ranking Bloods gang members were sentenced to life without parole Monday after a jury found them guilty of beating, shooting and killing a 19-year-old man as a form of gang discipline, according to a spokeswoman for DeKalb District Attorney Robert James.
The jury returned guilty verdicts for Ramon Nichols and Marques Nicholson in the 2012 murder of Derrick Jamal Linkhorn, spokeswoman Megan Matteucci said in a statement.
The two gang members lured Linkhorn to an abandoned apartment at Southern Pine Apartments off Mountain Drive in DeKalb in March 2012, Matteucci said.
Evidence showed Nichols ordered four others to kill Linkhorn as a form of gang discipline. They kicked, punched and shot the man in the head and neck, Matteucci said. Evidence didn’t reveal if Nichols was at the apartment during the attack.
The victim’s body was found a week later in the apartment, Matteucci said.
A jury found Nichols, 28, guilty of 14 counts, including murder, aggravated assault and violation of the state’s street gang terrorism and prevention act. Nicholson, 25, was found guilty of 13 counts, including murder and violating the gang statute.
Following the trial, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Gregory Adams sentenced Nichols to life without parole plus 100 years and Nicholson to life without parole plus 90 years, Matteucci said.
Four other Bloods members — Rahsin Narcisse, Antarious Johnson, Malcolm Wilson and Marcus Estes — are already serving prison sentences in connection to Linkhorn’s death, Matteucci said.
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