A Stone Mountain woman was convicted and sentenced last week for killing her ex-boyfriend in DeKalb County in 2020.
What’s Happening: On February 27, a DeKalb County jury found Teryn Blakeney, 29, guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during a crime. After about two hours of deliberation, the jury acquitted her of malice murder.
What’s Important: On March 1, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Yolanda C. Parker-Smith sentenced Blakeney to life in prison plus five years.
Catch Up Quick: On the evening of August 9, 2020, DeKalb County police responded to a 911 call near the former Soni Food Mart on Memorial Drive in Stone Mountain. They found 24-year-old Dalvin Dishawn Thomas on a path behind the building with a gunshot wound to his femoral artery. Before being taken to the hospital, Thomas identified Blakeney as the shooter. He died at the hospital.
Detectives determined Blakeney and Thomas had dated for about nine months before the relationship ended. On the night of the shooting, Blakeney asked Thomas to meet her at her apartment. The two argued. Thomas left while Blakeney was upstairs. After finding he had gone, she armed herself with a loaded .40-caliber handgun and drove around looking for him. She found Thomas outside the food mart, where he had walked from the apartment. She fired once, hitting him from behind as he walked away, then left the scene.
By the Numbers: The five-day trial included 12 state witnesses and nearly 50 exhibits, among them surveillance video from the scene and Blakeney’s recorded interview with law enforcement. Four witnesses testified for the defense, including Blakeney.
More Information: The Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case after the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office recused itself.
