Duluth man sentenced to life for raping teen, used knife to pry open door to victim’s bedroom

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA – A Duluth man was convicted of rape for sexually assaulting a teen multiple times as she woke up to him attacking her.

A Gwinnett County jury on found Anthony Dontae Murphy, Jr., 25, guilty of five counts of rape for the August 2020 incidents. Murphy was ordered to serve three consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

“This defendant’s behavior is despicable,” District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “We are pleased with the verdict and the sentence, and we pray that this victim has been able to heal physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally from this.”

The victim reported the sexual assault to police in July 2024. She told police that Murphy accosted her on multiple occasions in August 2020. She initially told police and, during trial, testified that Murphy used a butter knife to enter the room where she was sleeping. She said the first time he entered the room she awoke to him lying in bed next to her.

Several nights later, she said she woke up to him having non-consensual sex with her. The victim testified that this happened at least five times. She said that she was afraid of Murphy and scared to say “no” to him because she had witnessed him beating another woman multiple times.

During sentencing, Murphy accused witnesses of disparaging him and providing inconsistent accounts of what happened.

Special Victims Unit Assistant District Attorney Mikaela Henderson and Assistant District Attorney Kathy Li prosecuted the case with assistance from Investigator LaShonda Williams, Victim Witness Advocate Wonsiah Kermah, and Special Victims Unit Victim Witness Advocates Rocio Pineda. The Duluth Police Department was invaluable in helping to prosecute this case, the Gwinnett District Attorney’s Office said.