June 30, 2023

State vs. Victor Richardson

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by jury trial in the murder case against a Lithonia man accused of shooting at a man and killing an innocent bystander at a gas station.

Jurors returned guilty verdicts Wednesday against Victor Richardson, 26, on charges of Voluntary Manslaughter, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony in connection with the shooting death of Christopher Harrold, 44.  Richardson was also found guilty on Aggravated Assault and Possession of a Firearm during the Commission of a Felony for shooting at De’Andre Dean, 38.

Harrold was the owner of a tow truck company.  On May 17, 2022, Harrold was training Dean, a new employee.

According to the investigation, Harrold and Dean stopped at a gas station on Columbia Drive.  Dean saw Defendant Richardson and went to talk to him because Richardson owed him money.  The conversation became tense and Dean took a handgun from Defendant Richardson and threw it into the woods.  Dean then returned to the tow truck. 

Defendant Richardson got into his car, drove up to Dean, lowered his window and pointed an AR style rifle at Dean.  Dean pulled out his own gun and fired shots toward Richardson. 

Surveillance video showed Defendant Richardson turned onto Columbia Drive outside the gas station, pointed the rifle at Dean and fired multiple times, striking and killing Harrold, who never got out of the tow truck. 

The defendant drove away and investigators later found his car parked at his mother’s house with the murder weapon inside and his DNA on the trigger. 

Friday DeKalb Superior Court Judge Shondeana Morris sentenced Defendant Richardson to serve 50 years in prison.   

The case, assigned to the District Attorney’s Homicide & Gangs Unit, was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Scacco, with assistance from ADA Reid White, DA Investigator Curtis Averhart, and Victim Advocate Jozlyn Varnedoe. DeKalb County Police Department Detective P. Wright led the initial investigation.