Author: On Common Ground News

L-R: Tammy Grimes and Dave Marcus Early voting for the Stonecrest City Council District 5 special election runoff will be held Nov. 21-27. The candidates in the race are Tammy Grimes and Dave Marcus, elections officials confirmed after certifying the Nov. 5 results on Nov. 15. Stonecrest voters who live in District 5 may cast ballots at the DeKalb County Voter Registration & Elections Office, 4380 Memorial Drive, Decatur, or the Stonecrest Library, 2123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest, during the early voting period. Both locations will be open on Nov. 21, noon to 4:30 p.m., and Nov. 22-27, from 8 a.m.…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit announced the arrest of De’monte Lamar Anderson, a 24-year-old Decatur resident who was wanted on a felony murder charge in connection with the death of Dwayne Bernard Roberts. Anderson is accused of shooting Roberts twice with a handgun during the Oct. 20 incident on Flat Shoals Road in Decatur, causing his death, authorities said. DeKalb sheriff’s investigators located Anderson at a Decatur apartment complex, where he was taken into custody without incident and transported to the DeKalb County Jail. murder.

Serial rapist Samuel McCullum, 57, was sentenced to two life terms without the possibility of parole and a consecutive life term for felony murder and rape. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston said the serial rapist was convicted in connection with two cold cases in DeKalb in which one woman was killed and another survived. Authorities used a criminal database for DNA to connect McCullum to rapes in DeKalb and Fulton counties. McCullum’s criminal history for sexual assault crimes in Kentucky, New Jersey and North Carolina date back to 1983. Here is a summary of the rape cases involving McCullum:…

Two men wanted for the Nov. 9 home invasion and armed robbery of a 72-year-old Rockdale County man have been arrested. Investigators solved the case three days after the elderly man was attacked. Rockdale County Sheriff’s investigators arrested and charged Christopher Tucker, 39, and Alex Chancey, 17, with the home invasion of Darrell Mote after following up on leads and conducting interviews. The home invasion occurred at a residence in North Rockdale County. The suspects were wearing masks when they assaulted the homeowner, Darrell Mote, and tied him up at gunpoint, authorities said. The suspects burglarized Mote’s home and loaded…

Rockdale Board of Commissioners Chairman Oz Nesbitt is asking for the public’s help with his annual turkey giveaway for seniors. Anyone who would like to provide a turkey to a needy senior is asked to drop off their uncooked bird at Courtesy Ford, 1636 Dogwood Drive, now through Nov. 23, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The giveaway will be held on Sunday, Noc. 14, 3 p.m., at the Olivia Haydel Senior Center, 985 Taylor St., Conyers.

Join the Greater Lithonia Chamber of Commerce for its legislative breakfast on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., at This Is It!, 2853 Panola Road, Lithonia. State Rep. Billy Mitchell will discuss upcoming legislation and its impact on the business community. Members attend the breakfast for free with advanced registration. The cost is $10 for members who do not register in advance and want to pay at the door. Guests are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. To register, visit www.greaterlithoniachamber.com/

The Decatur City Commission passed a non-discrimination ordinance at its Nov. 18 meeting. Decatur is now the 5thcity in DeKalb County and the 6thcity in Georgia to adopt a non-discrimination ordinance including Doraville, Clarkston, Chamblee, Dunwoody, and the City of Atlanta. “Decatur is committed to the values of equity, inclusion and diversity and the adoption of this Ordinance is a tangible way to demonstrate that commitment,” Mayor Patti Garrett said. The non-discrimination ordinance includes federally protected classes and non-protected classes based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The non-discrimination ordinance prohibits local businesses from discriminating based on sexual orientation or…

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Fugitive Unit and the U.S. Marshals have arrested the third suspect involved in the fatal shooting that occurred in the parking lot at The Mall at Stonecrest on Sept. 29. Trayvon Ramon Williams, 25, of Decatur, was arrested on Monday (Nov. 18) at an apartment complex located off Covington Highway in DeKalb. Williams was taken into custody without incident and transported to the DeKalb County Jail. Williams is charged with felony murder in the shooting death of Kevin T. Mcleod-Downer. According to authorities, Williams was one of several subjects suspected of being involved in the fatal…

DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by jury trial in the murder/rape case against a previously convicted serial rapist. Jurors returned guilty verdicts on Thursday against 57-year-old Samuel McCullum on charges of Murder, Felony Murder (two counts), and Rape (two counts) in connection with two separate DeKalb County cold cases in which one woman was killed and another survived. August 6, 1998- Porter Road, DeKalb County A passerby finds a woman clinging to life on the side of the road in the 1000 block of Porter Road in DeKalb County. The victim, later identified as Monica…

DeKalb County Sheriff Jeffrey L. Mann announced that he will retire from his elected office on Nov. 30, 13 months before his term is up. Mann’s early departure means that Chief Deputy Melody Maddox will take the helm as the first female sheriff in DeKalb’s 197-year history and will remain in the position until a special election is held in 2020. Maddox served as Chief of Police for Georgia Piedmont Technical College from 2016 until Mann appointed her chief deputy, second in command, in June. Maddox, who will appoint a new deputy chief after she becomes sheriff, said she is…