A jury on Friday found two Henry County men guilty of murder in the 2017 shooting of a 17-year-old boy during a gun trade at an apartment complex.
Quintavious Barber died at an area hospital after he was shot Jan. 25 in the parking lot of the Sable Chase Apartments near McDonough. Another victim, Keundre Chappell, was shot in the hand and survived.
Barber had arranged to meet with Deshaun Middlebrooks, 21, and Tory Jaleel Jones, 20, at the complex to exchange weapons, prosecutors said.
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“But before the exchange took could place, Middlebrooks opened fire, striking Barber and Keundre Chappell,” said prosecutor Megan Matteucci, a spokeswoman for Henry County District Attorney Darius Pattillo. “Both victims fled. Barber ran to an apartment and collapsed.”
Jones drove the getaway car, a Henry County jury found.
Both Middlebrooks and Jones were convicted of malice and felony murder, aggravated assault, aggravated battery and a weapons charge. Jones was also convicted of possessing less than an ounce of marijuana, according to prosecutors.
Judge Brian Amero sentenced Middlebrooks to life in prison plus 25 years and denied him the possibility of parole. Jones was sentenced to life plus five years, with the possibility of early release.
“These are two violent men who were engaged in a gun transaction that turned deadly,” Pattillo said in a statement. “We are pleased to get them off the street and bring justice to the victims’ families.”
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