How the AJC covered the Darius Bottoms murder from ‘ATL Homicide’

From the archives: Nephew of future Atlanta mayor killed when mistaken for rival gang member
Three men were found guilty of murder  in the shooting death of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ nephew, Darius Bottoms.

Credit: WSB-TV None

Credit: WSB-TV None

Three men were found guilty of murder in the shooting death of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms’ nephew, Darius Bottoms.

The TVOne true-crime show "ATL Homicide" featured the case of Darius Bottoms, who was shot and killed in 2014 while driving in southwest Atlanta. Bottoms was the nephew of Atlanta councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, who would be elected the city's mayor three years later. Darius Bottoms was targeted because he had been mistaken as a rival gang member, according to prosecutors. Three gang members — Rashad Barber, Ryan Bowdery and David Dajunta Wallace — were convicted of murder and gang activity in the killing. An earlier trial ended in mistrial after it was suggested a juror spoke with a police detective during the trial.

» THE LIST: Georgia crime cases featured on true-crime shows and podcasts 

» MORE: How the AJC covered the Wayne Williams investigation from "Mindhunter"

"ATL Homicide," now in its second season, recreates cases as told by David Quinn and Vince Velazquez, two retired Atlanta Police Department homicide detectives.

The AJC covered the Darius Bottoms case and the investigation as it unfolded. You can find highlights of those articles below. You can find the AJC's coverage of other "ATL Homicide" cases here.

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From June 14, 2014: 

Man, 18, found dead in car in SW Atlanta 

The man found shot to death Friday morning in southwest Atlanta has been identified as Darius Bottoms, 18, of Atlanta. ...

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Darius Bottoms, 18, graduated from Benjamin E. Mays High School and was a sophomore at Atlanta Metropolitan College.

Credit: None

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Credit: None

From June 16, 2014:

Fatal Atlanta shooting discussed during city council meeting

District 11 Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms’ appeal for municipal court reform, was met with condolences from another member on a recent loss in Bottoms’ family. ...

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From left to right: Detective David Quinn, Lenora Flanagan, Bottoms’ mother Myeka Jennings and Capt. Paul Guerrucci at the press conference in 2014.

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From June 25, 2014:

Police seek answers in SW Atlanta shooting death

... “He was gunned down in our city,” Detective David Quinn said during a press conference. “We want you to say not another Atlanta youth gets killed this summer. We want to end this thing.” ...

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Darius Bottoms was the nephew of Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms by marriage. Mayor Bottoms was a city councilwoman at the time of his death in 2014.

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From Feb. 10, 2015:

Alleged gang members indicted in death of Atlanta councilwoman’s nephew 

Darius Bottoms, 18, died because he was mistakenly targeted as a member of the Bloods gang, District Attorney Paul Howard announced in an email. ...

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From Aug. 1, 2017:

Trial begins for 3 men in death of Atlanta councilwoman’s nephew

The trial for the suspects in the shooting death of 18-year-old Darius Bottoms has begun, the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday. ...

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From Aug. 14, 2017:

Jury misconduct leads to mistrial in death of councilwoman’s nephew

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter said the efforts put into the trial were “more or less two weeks wasted time,” Channel 2 Action News reported. ...

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From Dec. 4, 2017:

Jury selection begins in mayoral candidate’s nephew’s murder case

Jury selection began Monday in the murder case of an Atlanta mayoral candidate’s nephew, months after a mistrial was declared, Fulton County officials said. ...

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Three men were found guilty of murder  in the shooting death of  Darius Bottoms.

Credit: WSB-TV None

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Credit: WSB-TV None

From Dec. 4, 2017:

3 gang members convicted of murdering Atlanta mayor-elect’s nephew

Three men were convicted Thursday of murder and gang activity in the death of the Atlanta mayor-elect’s 18-year-old nephew, Fulton County officials said. ...

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Retired Atlanta Police Department detectives Vince Velazquez and David Quinn return to the TVOne true-crime show "ATL Homicide" for a second season.

Credit: TVOne

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Credit: TVOne

» MORE: Read the AJC's coverage of the cases in "ATL Homicide" Season 1

» RELATED: How the AJC covered the events in "The First 48 Presents: Homicide Squad Atlanta" 

» RELATED: How the AJC covered the Wayne Williams investigation from "Mindhunter" 

» THE LIST: Georgia crime cases featured on true-crime shows and podcasts