The last two men charged in the 2010 beating death of Bobby Tillman are going to prison for their part in the murder.
Late Friday, a Douglas County jury found Horace Damon Coleman and Quantez Devonta Mallory guilty of malice murder for their part in the November 2010 death of the 18-year-old Tillman.
Douglas County District Attorney David McDade confirmed the verdict. He said the two are scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 4
Last fall, Tracen Lamar Franklin was sentenced to life with no chance of parole. Earlier, in the spring, another man, Emmanuel Benjamin Boykins, pleaded guilty to avoid a possible death sentence. He was sentenced to life with a possibility of parole after 30 years.
“This crime touched this community like no other case ever has. It impacted the community and me,” McDade said. “This was the most random, brutal, senseless crime I have ever seen. So this was not just a crime against the family, but the community. Bobby had a bright future, and these thugs took him away from us.”
The conviction of Mallory and Coleman — at least legally — closes a sad chapter in Douglas County that saw a promising 18-year-old randomly targeted for violence.
According to police records and eyewitness accounts, Tillman, a student at Georgia Perimeter College, was among a crowd of young people leaving a house party in Douglasville. The party was supposed to be a small affair, but thanks to social media, the crowd grew from an expected 10 to more than 60 — including Boykins, Coleman, Franklin and Mallory, who were not invited.
Witnesses say two girls began fighting outside and one of the girls struck Boykins, who angrily declared that in retaliation, he would “pop” the next boy he saw.
Up walked Tillman, standing only 5 foot 6 and weighing 124 pounds.
Out of nowhere Boykins walked up to him and punched him in the head. Coleman, Franklin and Mallory followed suit and started to punch, kick and stomp Tillman as he lay prone on the ground as stunned teenagers begged them to stop. The beating lasted more than a minute.
By the time police arrived, Tillman had managed to get to his feet. With a bloody gash across his forehead, he collapsed. Deputies administered CPR, but he was pronounced dead at the hospital.
The Douglas County coroner at the time said Tillman’s injuries — including a lacerated heart — were usually seen in car accidents.
“Obviously, this is justice for Bobby Tillman,” McDade said, “and we firmly believe it is important that the criminal justice system is not just about the defendant. It should be focused on the victim as well. This verdict confirms that is what we strive for every day.”
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