DeKalb County: Deadly argument leads to life sentence for woman, 31, who shot mother’s boyfriend

DEKALB COUNTY, GA – A 31-year-old woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the death of her mother’s boyfriend after a drunken argument turned violent. 

Jurors found Quenisha Poole guilty of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and related charges in connection with the fatal shooting death of Erick Smith, 45, the DeKalb County, District Attorney Sherry Boston announced.  

 Immediately following the guilty verdict on April 23, DeKalb County Superior Court Chief Judge Shondeana C. Morris, who presided over the trial, sentenced Pool to life with the possibility of parole, plus five years to serve consecutively.

According to the investigation, Poole shot Smith after he and her mother argued while riding in a car with two other people on Jan. 12, 2024. The driver told detectives that that the intoxicated group had spent the afternoon arguing over “stupid stuff” at an apartment earlier that day. 

Later that evening, the driver of the vehicle agreed to give the others, who were still intoxicated, a ride to another apartment complex, authorities said. Smith was seated in the front passenger seat, his girlfriend was in the back seat behind Smith, and Defendant Poole was in the middle seat. Another male was in the back passenger seat behind the driver. 

The driver told police that Smith said something to his girlfriend (Poole’s mother) that angered Defendant Poole, who pulled out a gun and pointed it at Smith. The driver said he saw a flash and realized that Smith was shot. The driver drove the victim to Emory Hillandale Hospital’s emergency room, arriving around 8:50 p.m. on Jan. 12, and left him there. He then drove Defendant Poole and her mother home at their request. Smith died from his injuries three days later on Jan. 15. 

Surveillance video from the hospital showed a silver sedan dropping Smith off then driving away. DeKalb County Police Department detectives identified and interviewed the driver of the vehicle who shared what happened.

Defendant Poole was arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit on May 31, 2024 without incident, after months of evading police. Poole had remailed in in the DeKalb County Jail without bond since her arrest.

The case, assigned to the Homicide and Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Kara Roberts, with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Rachel Plevak, District Attorney Investigator Alexander Ortiz, and Supervising Victim Advocate Millicent Taylor. DeKalb County Police Department Detective M. Knight led the initial investigation.