A man convicted of murdering a 39-year-old construction worker at a Kroger on Ponce de Leon Avenue will spend the rest of his life in jail.
Damarius Thompson got two life sentences with no parole for the 2015 murder of Joshua Richey, according to Channel 2 Action News. Thompson got 40 years for other charges.
Shontavious Chestnut, Thompson’s accomplice, was also found guilty. His sentence was not released.
The two men were charged with four counts of felony murder in the case and other charges, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution previously reported.
Thompson represented himself in the trial, lashing out at cops, the prosecutor and the woman who turned him over to authorities, Channel 2 reported.
“An addict will do anything when they need a hit,” Thompson said of the woman who turned him. “She heard $25,000.”
Prosecutor Bruce Dutcher said Thompson didn’t stand a chance in convincing the jury of his innocence.
“The fact that he’s representing himself doesn’t’ mean he gets cut any slack,” Dutcher told Channel 2.
Richey, a father of four from Alabama, was just finishing a job near the Kroger on Ponce de Leon Avenue last March when he saw two men trying to break into his car.
The two men were accused of shooting Richey while trying to stop them from breaking into his car.
Police say Thompson shot Richey through the vehicle and escaped in a car driven by Chestnut.
Richey's co-worker, Jason Shelton, was working near the Kroger with Richey at the time of the shooting. He chased down the getaway car for a possible tag, but was unable to get one.
Shelton then called 911 and tried to perform CPR on him until help arrived.
“I’m relieved,” Shelton told Channel 2. “I’m glad it’s over with. We can move on. It’s been awful.”
Richey’s widow told the news station she believed justice was served.
“They took away not only my husband but my best friend,” she told the news station. “My soul mate and father to my daughter.”
Richey's employer, RGWilliams Construction, set up an account for his family at the time of his death. Kroger's Atlanta Division also set up a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest in Richey's murder.
Thompson and Chestnut had previous arrest records and theft charges. Thompson had served in state prison twice and was released in January 2014 after serving 17 months for terroristic threats and acts. Chestnut was arrested for probation violation in June 2014.
The shooting happened at the Kroger on Ponce de Leon, nicknamed “Murder Kroger” for frequent crimes at that location.
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