A 31-year-old man who killed a man during a dispute over a woman was sentenced to life in prison, the Fulton County District Attorney said Monday. It will be the third trip to state prison for the repeat offender.
A jury convicted Derrico Lamar Thomas, of Atlanta, on murder, felony murder and weapons offenses in connection in the shooting death of Orlando Young, Fulton DA Paul Howard’s office said. Thomas was sentenced to life without parole.
Young, 20, was shot more than a dozen times in his back and face on Aug. 29, 2013, while visiting an Alison Court apartment in southwest Atlanta, according to investigators. A friend found Young's body in the living room of the apartment and called 911 for help, but Young did not survive.
According to witnesses, Thomas and Young argued about a young woman before shots were fired and Thomas was seen running away. Thomas was arrested and charged with Young's murder in December 2013.
Thomas had been out of state prison for six months and a day at the time of 2013 shooting, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Thomas served time from March 2010 until February 2012 for shooting another man, Eric Ellis, in the face in 2009, Howard said.
Ellis was left paralyzed and suffered from a number of medical issues as a result of his injuries. His wife, who was also his caretaker, testified during the trial against Thomas, Howard’s office said. Ellis died the same day, just hours after jurors began their deliberations.
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