A Conyers man took his dying girlfriend to a hospital Friday night, telling medical staff he found her unconscious at home.

The next day, police arrested the man, accusing him of choking her to death.

Dexter Shepherd, 52, faces a murder charge in the death of Katherine Smith, 52, the Conyers Police Department said in a news release Monday. He took her to Piedmont Rockdale Hospital on Friday night, and she died hours later about 1 a.m. Saturday.

Nurses and Rockdale County Coroner’s Office investigators told police Shepherd gave at least two versions of the story about what happened to Smith leading up to the medical emergency, the release said. That prompted the department to obtain a search warrant for his home off Rockbridge Road.

Officers found a “choke hold type restraint,” with which  Shepherd allegedly used to strangle Smith during an argument, the release said. He tried to revive her using CPR, but was not successful, the release said. He didn’t call 911, instead driving her to the hospital.

He was booked into the Rockdale County Jail.

AJC.com has reached out to the sheriff’s office for his mug shot and custody information.

In other news:

Police are now looking into that death as they investigate dozens of other potential crimes at the facility.

About the Author

Featured

8/26/17 - Atlanta, GA - Georgia leaders, including Gov. Nathan Deal, Sandra Deal, members of the King family, and Rep. Calvin Smyre,  were on hand for unveiling of the first statue of Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday at the statehouse grounds, more than three years after Gov. Nathan Deal first announced the project.  During the hour-long ceremony leading to the unveiling of the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. at the state Capitol on Monday, many speakers, including Gov. Nathan Deal, spoke of King's biography. The statue was unveiled on the anniversary of King's famed "I Have Dream" speech. BOB ANDRES  /BANDRES@AJC.COM

Credit: Bob Andres