A jury delivered swift justice in a horrifying case of abduction and sexual assault that terrorized a young woman for over two hours in Atlanta.
What We Know: Evariuel Martez Billings was convicted Thursday of kidnapping, aggravated sexual battery, aggravated sodomy, sexual battery, and fleeing police after a jury trial in DeKalb County. Judge Courtney L. Johnson immediately sentenced Billings to two consecutive life sentences without possibility of parole, plus 31 additional years in prison.
The attack began on August 1, 2023, when Billings approached a 20-year-old woman sitting in her parked Volkswagen Jetta outside an auto repair shop on Shirley Drive. After asking to use her phone and becoming angry when she hesitated, Billings forced his way into her car, pushed her into the passenger seat, and drove off.
During the terrifying two-and-a-half-hour ordeal, Billings repeatedly sexually assaulted the woman, forced her to perform oral sex, and threatened to kill her if she answered calls from her boyfriend. While being assaulted, the victim managed to secretly answer one call, ask for help, and send her location multiple times.
When Doraville police attempted to stop the vehicle, Billings led them on a 12-minute chase, threatening to crash and kill them both. Police eventually disabled the car with a PIT maneuver and arrested Billings.
Take Action: If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, contact the Georgia Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) for confidential support and resources. The hotline connects survivors with local rape crisis centers that provide advocacy, counseling, and medical care options.
B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.
