Jury takes 15 minutes to convict killer
One of two defendants in a drug deal gone bad was found guilty of murder and other charges Friday, a decision reached by the jury in just 15 minutes.
Gabriel Flannigan, 26, was convicted of murder, felony murder, hijacking, armed robbery, aggravated assault and weapons charges for the Nov. 2007 shooting death of Quantiavious Ragsdale, 27. He was sentenced to life plus 15 years by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Anne Workman.
Ragsdale was shot repeatedly Nov. 17, 2007, inside the Highland Brooks apartment complex in Fulton County, according to the Fulton District Attorney's office. Shortly before the shooting, witnesses observed Flannigan discussing a purchase of ecstacy tablets from his eventual victim inside the Highland Brooks apartment complex. After firing gunshots to head and neck, Flannigan fled the scene in the victim's SUV, which was found abandoned a few days later.
Flannigan was eventually identified from a photo line-up and arrested a few weeks after Ragsdale's murder. He admitted trying to purchase drugs but said an associate was the trigger-man. Vantrez Jones, the second defendant in Ragsdale's murder, will be tried at a later date.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
