Former DeKalb County Police Officer Russell Mathis re-indicted in shooting death of Stone Mountain man

DEKALB COUNTY, GA- Russell Mathis, a former DeKalb County Police officer, has been rei-indicted for shooting and killing a man inside his Stone Mountain home.  

On Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, a DeKalb County Grand Jury indicted Mathis, now 32, of Tucker, on charges of Involuntary Manslaughter and Reckless Conduct stemming from the death of Marando Salmon, 37, on Nov. 4, 2022.  

According to the preliminary investigation, Mathis and another officer responded to a call about a stolen car parked in the driveway of a home on Autumn Crest Court in Stone Mountain.  As part of their investigation, they knocked on the front door of the house, which swung open.  The officers then entered the home.                  

As they cleared the house, Mathis opened the door of a second-floor bedroom and encountered Salmon sitting on his bed in the dark room.  In a matter of seconds, Mathis opened fire shooting and killing Salmon.  Salmon had thrown a cell phone at Officer Mathis, which Mathis said he believed was a knife.    

Salmon was unarmed at the time of the shooting, but a holstered gun was later recovered in the bedroom.  Paramedics transported Salmon to Grady Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.             

 Mathis and the other officer involved were previously indicted in February 2024.  In April 2025, defense counsel moved to dismiss the case based on concerns about the presentation of certain evidence to the Grand Jury.  In an abundance of caution, the DA’s Office chose to nolle prosequi the charges from that indictment. 

After thoroughly re-examining the facts of the case, the trial team decided to focus the prosecution of the case on Mathis, who fired the fatal shots.  The DA’s Office will not pursue charges against the other officer.  

The case has been assigned to DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney L. Johnson. Mathis is scheduled for an arraignment on the charges on Nov.19, 2025.