A gang member who shot and killed a man at a house party in Coweta County in 2017 was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years, authorities confirmed.
Michael Javon Williams was found guilty of fatally shooting 21-year-old Tomas Gooden on Dec. 9 over the outcome of a dice game, Assistant District Attorney Robert Mooradian told AJC.com.
The person who reported the incident to authorities, Mundel Whitaker, told investigators he and a friend were having a “pajama party” at the home that “got out of hand” when a lot of people arrived he and others didn’t recognize, AJC.com previously reported. About 30 people were present at the home in the 100 block of Covey Trail, Mooradian said.
MORE: Suspected gang member charged in deadly shooting at 'pajama party'
Several men, including Williams and Gooden, were in the garage gambling and throwing dice that night, he said. Over the course of the night, tempers began to flare between the two, witnesses said.
After a game, Williams and Gooden disagreed over who won, and Gooden pushed Williams, Mooradian said. When Williams got back up, he pulled out a .40 caliber pistol and backed Gooden into a corner, while the other partygoers ran away.
Gooden was shot once in the top of the head, slightly above his right ear, Mooradian said. Deputies found him unresponsive when they arrived around 3:30 a.m., and he died at the scene. Williams was arrested the next day near Newnan.
Williams, who was 27 years old at the time of the shooting, argued he was in fear for his life and shot Gooden in self-defense. But the jury didn’t buy that, convicting him on all counts after three hours of deliberation.
He was found guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault, possession of a handgun by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
In other news:
About the Author
