Two men have been convicted in what has been a harrowing case for the DeKalb County community: the murder at a Stone Mountain gas station, with a third suspect’s fate hanging in the shadow of uncertainty. DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announced the convictions, following a jury trial that put Jeremy Collins, 29, and Joshua Ontario Simpson, 29, in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
According to the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office, Collins has been found guilty of Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. His partner in crime, Simpson, was convicted on counts of Aggravated Assault, Possession of a Firearm by a First Offender Probationer, and also Possession of a Firearm During the Commission of a Felony. Their sentences were stern: life in prison plus five years for Collins, and for Simpson, 25 years, with the expectation that he serve 15 years in custody, and the balance on probation.
There’s been a hitch in the proceedings, however. Collins, who was mistakenly granted bond, chose not to grace the courthouse with his presence during critical moments of his trial—the jury deliberations, verdict reading, and his sentencing. Fortunately, persistence in the face of such bold evasion paid off. On January 15, he was arrested by the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Unit and U.S. Marshals Service in Jefferson County, Alabama, following a run-in with the law…