Man accused of shooting, killing squatter charged with murder

The man accused of shooting and killing a squatter Monday morning at his relative’s DeKalb County home has been charged with murder, officials said.

DeKalb County police spokeswoman Mekka Parrish said Monday afternoon that Terrance Medina, 39, had been charged in connection with the shooting and was already in the DeKalb County jail. The victim had not yet been identified, she said.

DeKalb County police are handling the investigation, but Atlanta police Officer Kim Jones told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution early Monday the incident happened about 8 a.m. in the 1700 block of South Ponce de Leon Avenue.

Channel 2 Actions News reported that the home’s owner, who lives out of town, sent a relative to the house to check on the property. That relative, now identified as Medina, encountered the trespasser and shot and killed him, according to the station.

Neighbors told Channel 2 the vacant house had been a target for squatters in the past.

No further information was immediately available.