June 30, 2023

Victim Crashed into Apartment, Pinning Woman Under SUV

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by jury trial in the murder case against an Atlanta man accused of shooting a driver who then crashed into an apartment building, trapping the woman who lived inside.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts Thursday against Gary Davis, 24, on charges of Malice Murder, Felony Murder, Criminal Damage to Property in the First Degree, Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony, Theft by Receiving Stolen Property, and three counts of Aggravated Assault. 

According to the investigation, Christopher Eure, 25, and Khalil Winborn, 23, dropped off a passenger at a Lithonia apartment complex on January 30, 2020. 

As Eure began to drive away, Defendant Davis ran up to the SUV and opened fire into the vehicle, shooting 16 rounds.  Eure lost control of the SUV and accelerated through the wall of 79-year-old Janet Thomas’ apartment, pinning her underneath the vehicle. 

A stray bullet also went through the window of an 11-year-old boy’s bedroom in a different apartment.  Fortunately, no one inside that apartment was struck.

Paramedics transported Eure, Thomas and Winborn to Grady Memorial Hospital.  Winborn and Thomas were treated and ultimately released; Eure died of his injuries.

Shortly after the shooting, a bystander pointed investigators to another building in the complex where they located Defendant Davis.  Surveillance video of the crime showed the shooter wearing a gray hoodie and black jeans, the same clothing recovered from Defendant Davis.  Lab testing by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation revealed gunshot residue on the defendant’s jacket. 

A witness inside the apartment told investigators Defendant Davis had received a phone call at 9:20 p.m. that night, grabbed a handgun and left the unit.  Defendant Davis returned several minutes later and made a statement to the effect of “this was how it was going to end anyways.”

When interviewed about the shooting, Winborn revealed Defendant Davis had previously confronted him because Davis believed Winborn was responsible for a home invasion at Davis’ mother’s home in August 2019. 

Davis is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday, August 23 at 8:30 a.m. by DeKalb Superior Court Judge Tangela Barrie, who presided over the trial. 

The case, assigned to the District Attorney’s Homicide & Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Tauri Thomas with assistance from ADA Christine Caldwell, DA Investigator C. Hollowood, and Victim Advocate Ikwo Nyong.  DeKalb County Police Department Detective Crowe led the initial investigation.