"Chris shot me."

Those words from a dying man helped identify the killer, who will now spend his life in prison.

Christopher Phillips, 24, was convicted of murder and other charges and sentenced to life plus 10 years in prison, Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard said Friday.

Phillips shot Demario Bateman, 25, in the stomach during a party in a Lanier Street apartment in Atlanta in February 2007, Howard said. Bateman was able to give police the first name of his assailant before he was taken to the hospital where he died.

Witnesses who were at the party told police that Phillips seemed to be upset about the theft of his "weed," Howard said.

"He then walked into the kitchen where the victim was sitting, shot him in the stomach and fled the scene," Howard said. Phillips was arrested several weeks later after witnesses identified him.

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Banks County 0 mile sign is displayed on Old Federal Road, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Carnesville. The boundary between Banks and Franklin mysteriously moved to the east, allowing the Banks sheriff to claim he lives in the county and keep his job as the top lawman. (Hyosub Shin / AJC)

Credit: HYOSUB SHIN / AJC