Decatur man sentenced to life in deadly landlord-tenant dispute

DEKALB COUNTY, GA– Danny John Marillo Hunter, 34, of Decatur has received a life sentence in connection with the death of Kateasha Cardell, 30, and the assault of her fiance’ Karlo Dupree, 48, in September, 2021. 

Hunter was convicted by jury trial of shooting and killing Cardell, who was renting a home from his father, DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced today, Jan. 14. 

Jurors on Jan. 9 found Hunter guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter, Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault, and two counts of Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a felony. 

DeKalb County Superior Court Chief Judge Shondeana Morris, who presided over the trial, sentenced Hunter to Life in prison. 

According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded a little after 4 p.m. on Sept. 22, 2021  to a report of a person shot in front of a home on Dove Valley Road in unincorporated Decatur.  When officers arrived, they found Cardell lying in the middle of the road with a gunshot wound to the back of her neck.  She was transported to Atlanta Medical Center for treatment, but did not survive. 

Police arrested Hunter at the scene.  hunter stated that the victims, who rented a home from his father, had made threats against him and his father. 

Detectives later interviewed Dupree who said that he and Cardell had been in an ongoing dispute with their landlord, Hunter’s father.  The couple said their landlord had shut off their utilities in an effort to make them leave the property.  Cardell also had noticed some discrepancies while reviewing her bank account and believed their landlord was responsible.

Dupree and Cardell went to their landlord’s house to speak to him about the unusual charges.  While they were speaking to Hunter and his father in front of the home, Hunter went inside the house and grabbed a revolver.  He then came back outside and shot the victim.  Dupree immediately got into his car to leave and Hunter also fired a shot at him.  Dupree drove to the DeKalb County Jail to get help from law enforcement.  

Hunter told police he wanted to protect his father from Dupree and Cardell, but investigators did not find that either of them were armed at the time of the shooting.  

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 Parker Aziz, District Attorney Investigator J.B. Williams and Victim Advocate Millicent Taylor.  DeKalb County Police Department Detective Knight led the initial investigation.