Third teen charged in deadly Cobb home invasion

Miguel Romo

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

Miguel Romo

Cobb County police have charged a third 16-year-old as an adult in a home invasion and robbery that left a man dead earlier this month, authorities said.

Miguel Romo of Austell was taken into custody Thursday and charged with murder, armed robbery, and aggravated assault, Channel 2 Action News reported.

Two others, Elijah Bailey and Damon Shropshire, were arrested on murder charges last week in connection with the Jan. 14 shooting that killed 22-year-old Daquan Murphy.

Damon Shropshire and Elijah Bailey

Credit: Channel 2 Action News

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Credit: Channel 2 Action News

RELATED: 2 teens charged as adults in Austell homicide tied to officer-involved shooting

Officers were called to the Alta Mill apartments on Anderson Mill Road near the East-West Connector around 1 a.m. after receiving a call about a person shot, Cobb police spokeswoman Officer Sydney Melton said previously.

MORE: Man killed in shooting at south Cobb apartment complex

They arrived to find Murphy with a gunshot wound to the torso. He was taken to WellStar Cobb Hospital, where he died of his injuries.

A fourth suspect in the case — 19-year-old Samuel Mallard — was shot and killed by Cobb police as they tried to arrest him in his west Cobb-area neighborhood two days later.

Samuel  Mallard after his July 2019 arrest in Smyrna

Credit: Cobb County Sheriff's Office

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Credit: Cobb County Sheriff's Office

ALSO: 19-year-old with history of impersonating cops shot, killed by Cobb SWAT team

Officers converged on the Mill Chase subdivision about 8:30 a.m. on Jan. 16 to arrest Mallard and search his home and car, Cobb police Chief Tim Cox told AJC.com at the scene.

They spotted Mallard driving in the 1400 block of Chaseway Circle, the GBI said. He attempted to flee police but was unsuccessful.

GBI agents  investigate an  officer-involved shooting that left a murder suspect dead near Powder Springs on Jan. 16.

Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

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Credit: JOHN SPINK / JSPINK@AJC.COM

“Officers confronted Mallard to take him into custody and gave him verbal commands,” GBI spokeswoman Nelly Miles said. “During the incident, four CCPD officers fired their weapons, striking Mallard. Medical services responded, but Mallard was pronounced dead at the scene.”

The teen had a history of run-ins with police, and was arrested for impersonating an officer more than a half-dozen times in recent years.

His most recent Cobb County arrest occurred in July 2019, when he repeatedly crossed a police line at the scene of a Smyrna business fire despite being told not to, his arrests warrants show.

MORE:Teen with history of impersonating officers is arrested again

Romo, Bailey and Shropshire remain behind bars at Cobb’s Youth Detention Center. Investigators do not anticipate any more arrests in the case, Melton said.

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