Smyrna man gets life sentence for murdering longtime friend after argument
A Cobb County man will spend the rest of his life in prison after a jury found him guilty on multiple charges, including malice murder, for killing his close friend by shooting her repeatedly.
Carl Crawford, 32, of Smyrna, was convicted on five charges related to the death of 27-year-old Juanita McFadden, Cobb District Attorney Flynn Broady said in a news release. On Monday, Crawford was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.
According to Broady, a fight between Crawford and McFadden in November 2020 led Crawford to pull a handgun and shoot his longtime friend and former roommate nine times. Crawford stayed at the scene and admitted to shooting McFadden when police arrived. Responding officers took him into custody at McFadden’s apartment.
After the shooting, McFadden’s mother, Deanna Butler, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that her daughter and Crawford had been friends since middle school. McFadden had dated Crawford’s roommate and lived at their apartment until a few months prior.
“He was a really close friend of the family,” Butler said at the time.
About the Author
Henri Hollis is a restaurant critic and food reporter for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where he covers Atlanta’s restaurants, chefs and dining culture. As part of the AJC’s Food & Dining team, he reviews new restaurants, reports on industry trends and explores metro Atlanta’s culinary scene through the neighborhoods and people that shape it.
