Killer Dads: Fathers who ended their children's lives in situations involving child custody, visitation, and/or child support
GEORGIA
Athens-Clarke County
Father: KEITH JERMAINE GRESHAM
Victim(s): Keionte Gresham (4 years), Keion Gresham (7 years)
Date of Death: May 2010
Father shot children to death in murder-suicide during visitation. Had extensive history of stalking, domestic violence.
Bibb County
Father: ANTWON DOREZ DAVID
Victim(s): Unnamed child (18 months)
Date of Death: February 2012
Father, step charged with felony murder. Father's custodial status not clarified, but at minimum, he must have had visitation. No mention of child's mother. No media update as of November 2014.
Father: DARRLYN DESHAWN JONES
Victim(s): Jayceon Davis (2 months)
Date of Death: July 2013
Baby allegedly killed during father's first overnight visitation. Father charged with murder. No media update as of Novembe 2014.
Carroll and Haralson Counties
Father: LUIS GARCIA
Victim(s): Daniel Garcia (13 years), Kayla Garcia (11 years)
Date of Death: February 2014
Parents were in "process of separating," police had been called to the house before on assault allegations. Mother was out of town when father killed children in a murder-suicide, so father still had custody/access rights despite history of domestic violence. Police found bodies after a "wellness call," so it is apparent that somebody had concerns about the father's stability and capacity for violence.
Clayton County
Father: JAMALL DECARLOS MATHIS
Victim(s): Ja’mari Myckahi Jones (17 months)
Date of Death: September 2009
In November 2010, father on trial for murdering son during visitation, allegedly to avoid child support. Was found guilty of all charges except malice murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
DeKalb County
Father: GARY DETOMA
Victim(s): Gary DeToma Jr. (5 years), Will DeToma (4 years – injured)
Date of Death: July 2010
Father seeking “full custody” charged with murder of 5-year-old son during visitation. Parents had been going through divorce. In May 2012, father pleaded guilty to murder.
Dodge County
Father: DAVID SMITH
Victim(s): Zachary Smith (3 years)
Date of Death: March 2014
Father charged with felony murder in death of son. Cohabitated with girlfriend, is specifically identified as not being the mother. Father identified as custodial in later news accounts, but no explanation as to how he got custody or who gave it to him. In February 2015, father and girlfriend convicted of felony murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Douglas County
Father: COURTNEY CRAIG
Victim(s): King Davis (2 years)
Date of Death: March 2016
Father arrested, charged with felony murder after son killed during out-of-state weekend visitation. Confessed to crime.
Father: CEDRIC PRATHER
Victim(s): London (7 years) and Jeremiah (9 years) shot dead; Misha (15 years) and unidentified sister (8 years) in critical condition. Mother Latoya Andrews and boyfriend Terry Brown also killed.
Date of Death: February 2015
Father with history of domestic violence raids house of ex-wife and mows down entire family. Child custody/visitation arrangements not clarified in news accounts, but father was apparently aggravated by his child support obligations. Reported that father retained shared custody/visitation even after mother got temporary order of protection after father broke into the house and raped her.
Fulton County
*Father: EMAN MOSS
Victim(s): Emani Moss (10 years)
Date of Death: October 2013
Despite history of domestic violence and numerous child abuse allegations and child abuse investigations, father managed to gain and retain custody of daughter. Girl's body found burned in trash can, apparently died from beatings and starvation. Mother had spent 2-3 years trying to regain custody. Father charged with murder. In May 2014, prosecutors announced they would be seeking the death penalty at trial. In July 2014, father and step pleaded not guilty to murder. In June 2015, however, father pleaded guilty to felony murder. Sentenced to life without parole in August 2015.
Gwinnett County
Father: ELVIS NOE GARCIA-NOLASCO
Victim(s): Edward Garcia (1 year), Bradley Garcia (3 years)
Date of Death: February 2011
Father charged in fatal stabbing of two sons, and in critical stabbing of a third son. Father had been in “custody battle” with the mother over the children. Father pleaded guilty in May 2013.
Paulding County
*Father: SHAYAA FORBES
Victim(s): Eric Forbes (12 years)
Date of Death: October 2013
Custodial dad charged with murder of son. CPS allegedly ignored previous allegations of abuse. Mother trying to regain custody of surviving sibling. Father indicted on eight felony charges in April 2014.
Richmond County
Father: WILLIE C. JONES
Victim(s) Ty'asia Phillips (4 years)
Date of Death: March 2012
Custodial father charged in beating death of daughter. Daughter's death took place less than one month after getting custody. No media update found as of November 2014.
Twiggs County
Father: KELCEY JONES
Victim(s): Joshua (4 years)
Date of Death: September 2003
Father's conviction for murder upheld in March 2013. Murder took place during weekend visitation.