DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced a conviction by jury trial in the case against a Loganville man charged with starting a fight with a father and then shooting him in front of his son.
Kevon Lloyd Simpson, 31, was found guilty of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, two counts of Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony in connection with the death of Gabriel Yalledy, 55, on June 13, 2021. The verdict wasannounced on Feb. 27.
According to the investigation, officers with the DeKalb County Police Department responded to a call about a person shot at a gas station in the 6700 block of Browns Mill Road. When police arrived, they found Yalledy deceased in the parking lot.
Officers spoke to witnesses at the scene and gathered cell phone video that people had captured of the incident. Between 4:45 and 5 p.m., Simpson showed up at the gas station in a black BMW. He got out of the car and approached Yalledy. Witnesses told investigators that Simpson started punching Yalledy and asking Yalledy where his son, Gabriel Yalledy, Jr., was. Those who witnessed the incident said it appeared Simpson’s actions were premeditated and that he came looking for a fight with Yalledy, Jr.
During the confrontation, Yalledy, Jr. happened to be riding in a car passing by the gas station and saw the altercation. He got out of the car and ran over to try to separate Simpson from his father. Yalledy, Jr. punched Simpson and as he and fought, Simpson’s gun fell to the ground. The father and son tried to keep Simpson from retrieving the gun and held him down on the pavement. Another man who came with Simpson to the gas station then intervened and got Yalledy, Jr. to let go of Simpson.
The father and son were walking away from the fight Simpson grabbed the gun and fired three shots at them, a video used as evidence in the trial. Simpson’s first two shots were aimed at the ground, but his third shot was fired directly at Yalledy, Sr.
After the shooting, Defendant Simpson called 911 and stayed at the gas station to meet with responding officers. Simpson claimed that he shot Yalledy, Sr. in self-defense, but the video of the shooting clearly showed the victims were walking away when he fired the gun.
Immediately following the guilty verdicts, DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Courtney Johnson, who presided over the trial, sentenced Simpson to serve life in prison, plus an additional 10 years in confinement and 5 years on probation.
The case, assigned to the Homicide and Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Helen Pott, with assistance from Senior Assistant District Attorney Sean Patrick Johnston, District Attorney Investigator Curtis Averhart and Victim Advocate Kaysha Albritton. DeKalb County Police Department Detective Crowe led the initial investigation.