Man sentenced to life in 2019 fatal shooting inside DeKalb condo

Five years ago, Brandon McCrary opened the door of his DeKalb County condominium and saw a man waiting outside with a handgun. Moments later, the 36-year-old was surrounded and pushed back inside the residence, where he was fatally shot several times, according to officials.

Now, the shooter will spend the rest of his life in prison, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Dequan Trimell King, 30, was convicted of murder and other charges Thursday in the death of McCrary, who was found by SWAT officers after they forced their way inside the Waldrop Park condo complex on Sept. 22, 2019, according to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office.

Witnesses told police that a woman, later identified as 25-year-old Daizona Allen, had rang McCrary’s doorbell that night, and that King was waiting outside while holding a handgun, the DA’s office said.

“Additional suspects came from the back of the building to join Defendant King,” prosecutors added. “McCrary struggled with the men, who pushed him into the apartment where he was shot and killed.”

According to police, officers took every precaution when they arrived at the home off Waldrop Road following an armed robbery call. After a woman said she saw two men go into the victim’s condo and not come out, the SWAT team was asked to assist and officers did not enter the unit until about two hours later, Channel 2 Action News reported.

While the team was at the scene, the entrance to the complex was shuttered and residents were asked to shelter in place. The witnesses had called 911 while fleeing the area. Detectives believed the home was targeted for “specific risky behaviors” related to drug activity, police said at the time.

On Thursday, a DeKalb jury found King guilty of malice murder, three counts of felony murder, criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of a firearm by a felon. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the DA’s office.

Allen was indicted Aug. 2, 2021, on two counts of felony murder, malice murder, aggravated assault and criminal attempt to commit armed robbery, prosecutors said. She is being held pending trial.

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