A Coffee County jury returned guilty verdicts this week against D’Andre Carter, one of three individuals charged with the 2013 murder of Dequavious Reed.
Reed was 21-years-old when he was shot twice in the chest at his residence in the City of Douglas on July 11, 2013. The case was cracked open when one witness agreed to speak with Carter while wearing a recording device and obtained full details from him as to how the murder took place.
According to the recording, Carter planned the murder and robbery in order to steal money and marijuana from Mr. Reed. Carter encouraged his brother, Claron, to shoot Reed and then described how he went through Reed’s pockets while he was lying on the floor.
The jury was able to hear Carter laugh on the recording as he described how Mr. Reed choked to death after being shot.
After deliberating for nearly seven hours, the jury returned guilty verdicts on all five charges Carter was facing including malice murder, two counts of felony murder, armed robbery, and burglary in the first degree.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Ian Sansot.
Superior Court Judge Kelly Brooks, who presided over the case, agreed with the State’s arguments regarding the severity of the case and sentenced Carter to serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Judge Brooks also imposed an additional 20 years to serve, consecutive to his life sentence, for the burglary and armed robbery charges.
Carter’s brother and co-defendant, Claron Carter, was found guilty for the same charges in a March trial and was also sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
The case was investigated by the City of Douglas Police Department with the assistance of the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
District Attorney George Barnhill stated he wished to thank Douglas Police Chief Gary Casteloes, Investigators Leon Whitley, Robert Sprinkle, Tameka Williams, Randy Ryles, the Coffee County Sheriff’s Office, the GBI, and all other officers and witnesses who contributed to ensure our community is a safe place for our families.
– Submitted by the Coffee County District Attorney’s Office, Waycross Judicial Circuit