MURDER MYSTERY SOLVED WITH HELP FROM KILLER

Victim Killed In Palmetto

Atlanta- Fulton County District Attorney Paul L. Howard, Jr. announces the conviction by jury trial of 46-year-old Donald Deloatch of Palmetto. Jurors convicted Deloatch of Murder and Felony Murder for the shooting death of 30-year-old Jermaine Bowlds.

On December 5, 2005, Bowlds’ body was discovered in the middle of the road at the intersection of Ono and Wilkerson Mill Roads in Unincorporated Fulton County near Palmetto. The victim had been shot in the head. His abandoned vehicle and several of his belongings were discovered a short distance away near Defendant Deloatch’s home. Phone records indicated the victim had made several calls to the defendant shortly before his death but the case initially went cold. A year later, an inmate in the Coweta County Jail confessed to committing several armed robberies with Defendant Deloatch and that Deloatch-in a matter of words-had admitted to killing someone near Ono Road. Police subsequently issued warrants for Deloatch’s arrest. Deloatch, an apparent drug customer of Mr. Bowlds, had robbed the victim of drugs and money then killed him.

Donald Deloatch was sentenced to life in prison by presiding Fulton County Superior Court Judge Kimberly Esmond Adams.

The case was prosecuted by Chief Senior District Attorney Pete Johnson with assistance from ADA George Jenkins and Senior DA Investigator Vance Williams. Sandy Springs Police Detective G. Kalish, formerly with Fulton County Police Department led the initial investigation.

Media Contact: Yvette Brown, 404-224-0560/404-392-8867, yvette.brown@fultoncountyga.gov