Man gets life in prison for fatally shooting roommate near Tucker

A North Carolina man was sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting in October of a man he lived and worked with in Tucker, authorities said.

Cedric Collins, 25, of Greensboro, was found guilty Thursday of malice murder and other charges, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced. He shot and killed James Broadnax, 35, on Oct. 20.

Friday, DeKalb Superior Court Judge Daniel Coursey sentenced Collins to life in prison plus five years, Boston said.

Boston said DeKalb police officers responded to the 3100 block of Westwood Drive after getting several 911 calls about a person shot. At the scene, they found Broadnax unresponsive in a Dodge Charger that was running with the doors locked. Officers could see several bullet holes in the driver’s-side door and window, and they ultimately collected 16 shell casings.

First responders had to break the Charger’s window to pull Broadnax out of the car, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, Boston said. Investigators quickly learned that he lived with the shooter, later identified as Collins, and two other men in a house nearby. All four worked at an appliance company moving washers and dryers in box trucks, Boston said.

Investigators learned that Collins and Broadnax had gotten into an argument at the house, and Collins left in one of the trucks, Boston said. Broadnax then got into his car and left the house as well.

While investigators still were at the murder scene, Collins returned and was taken into custody, Boston said.

Collins told police he shot in self-defense because Broadnax was following him in his car, Boston said. Collins said he had stopped his truck, gotten out and confronted Broadnax again before opening fire.

Collins’ gun was found in the truck and taken as evidence, Boston said. GBI experts found that the gun held a maximum of 16 rounds, meaning Collins emptied his magazine while shooting at Broadnax.

Broadnax did not have a gun on him or in the car when the shooting took place, Boston said.

A jury found Collins guilty of malice murder, felony murder, aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. His sentence includes the potential for parole, but Collins will not be evaluated by Georgia’s State Board of Pardons and Paroles until he has served 30 years of his life sentence plus the five years added by the judge. His earliest possible parole date would be 2059.

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