He was 18 years old when he pulled the trigger in a drive-by shooting, critically injuring a Paulding County woman. Then, Zackariah Daniel Mitchell and another teenager drove to Atlanta to sell drugs, according to prosecutors.
Nearly two years later, Mitchell pleaded guilty to his crimes and was sentenced to 50 years, including 20 to serve in prison, the Paulding District Attorney’s Office said Monday.
On April 11, 2018, Kathleen Walker was shot in the leg, according to investigators.
“The doctors did not expect her to live, but if she did, she was not expected to be able to walk or talk,” the DA’s office posted on its Facebook page. “However, Walker beat the odds.”
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Nine days later, Mitchell was arrested, according to the Paulding sheriff’s office. On May 2, 2018, a second suspect, Kayden Louis Fillingame, was also arrested and charged in the case. Investigators determined Mitchell had a conflict with Walker’s son, the DA’s office said.
In November, Fillingame pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension or punishment of a criminal and two counts of reckless conduct. He was sentenced to seven years, including two to serve.
Mitchell pleaded guilty to aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and battery, the DA’s office said. On Feb. 11, Mitchell was charged with battery after assaulting another inmate in the Paulding jail.
Walker was in the courtroom Friday for Mitchell’s sentencing. She requires 24-hour care, the DA’s office said.
“Incredibly, despite this horrific act of violence, Walker and her family forgave Mitchell for the incident that changed all of their lives and encouraged him to use this time to turn his life around,” the DA’s office said.
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