Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney

Stone Mountain Judicial Circuit

Sherry Boston, District Attorney

SHOOTER CONVICTED IN FATAL LITHONIA ARMED ROBBERY

November 23, 2017

Victim Targeted for Cell Phone

Decatur, Ga.- DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston announces a conviction by jury trial in the murder case against a Stone Mountain man. Jurors deliberated just three hours before returning guilty verdicts against 18-year-old Abijah Richards on charges of Murder, Felony Murder, Aggravated Assault, Armed Robbery, and weapons offenses in connection with the shooting death of 26-year-old Leevon Daniels.

Daniels was shot and killed on May 3, 2015 in the 7000 block of Swift Street in downtown Lithonia. He was hanging out with friends at a nearby sports bar when he decided to step outside to make a phone call to his girlfriend. Meantime, Defendant Richards and several accomplices, including Co-defendants, Mohamed Kamara, 17, and Monolito Walker, 18, were driving through the area after breaking into cars looking for items to steal and later sell when they spotted the victim walking along the railroad tracks talking on his cell phone. Defendant Walker, exited their vehicle and demanded his cell phone. Even after he complied with Walker’s demands, Defendant Richards shot the victim in the chest, killing him instantly. The robbers then fled the scene. The case went cold for nearly seven months until detectives received an anonymous tip that led to the identity of one of the passengers in the defendant’s car and eventually to a confession implicating the defendants.

Following his conviction, Defendant Richards was sentenced to life plus 15 years in prison by DeKalb Superior Court Judge Daniel Coursey.

Co-defendants Mohamed Kamara and Monolito Walker each entered guilty pleas prior to trial to charges of Voluntary Manslaughter and Armed Robbery. Kamara was sentenced to 30 years to serve 20 without parole. Walker was sentenced to 30 years to serve 20 years, which includes the first ten years without parole.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Josh Geller with assistance from Deputy Chief ADA Rod Wilkerson and DA Investigator Christopher Franklin.  Sergeant V. Logan of the Lithonia Police Department led the initial investigation.