A Cobb County man was slammed with two consecutive life sentences plus an additional five years on Thursday after a Gwinnett County jury found him guilty of the double murder. Steven Tran, 23, was convicted for the deaths of An Ha, 23, and Julian Talbo, 20, during a botched drug deal in Lawrenceville, 2020.
The heartless encounter turned tragic when Tran was supposed to purchase marijuana from the victims but decided to rob and ruthlessly shoot them instead at a Lawrenceville home. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the jury convicted Tran on two counts of malice murder, two counts of felony murder, three counts of aggravated assault, and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony on Feb. 9.
Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson described the killings as senseless during the trial. Officials said Tran fired 12 shots in the fatal encounter. Gwinnett County Superior Court Judge Warren Davis showed no leniency as he meted out Tran’s punishment, sealing his fate behind bars without the possibility of parole.
Physical evidence was unearthed from Tran's Kennesaw home, establishing his connection to the heinous crimes. He later confessed to the shootings of Ha and Talbo in what was an apparent robbery turned deadly forces. Atlanta News First reported on the conviction, noting Assistant District Attorney Anthony Volkodav's role in ensuring a solid presentation of evidence and witness testimony throughout the trial.
